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Alonzo  Lewis  — At  age  of  37.  Ai.onzo  Liwis— At  age  of  63. 

Poet  and  Historian. 


Cii  VKI  I  s  r    I^t'MMl  . —  \t  age  of  32 

1-ii^t   l-yiiu   I'rmtci. 

[Ar  fxigf  Z'iii.\ 


James  R.  Newhall  —  Atageof3Ji 

{«7) 


ST.   MARGARET  S  CHURCH,    KINGS    LV.W,    h.MGLANU. 


{See page  vii.]  ST.    STEPUKN'S   CHURCH,   LYNN,   MAbS. 


CITY    HALL,   LYNN,    MASS. 


iSff  /'afre7'it.\  TOWN    HALL,    KING'S    LYNN,    L.NULAND. 


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HISTORY 


OF 


LYNN, 


ESSEX   COUNTY,  MASSACHUSETTS: 


INCLUDING 


Lynnfield,   Saugus,   Swampscott,  and  Nahant. 


VOLUME    II 


1864-1893. 


BY 


^W.wV2J^<2ri,<0<C^ 


PUBLISHED  BY 

Israel  Augustus  Newhall  and  Howard  Mudge  Newhall. 


Lynn,   Mass.  : 
the  nichols  press  — thos.  p.  nichols. 

1897. 


^1  ^ 

NOTE.  ,   o 


The  volume  of  tlie  History  ok  Lynn,  by  Alonzo  Lewis  and  James  R.  Newhall,  known 
as  the  1865  Edition,  embodies  our  history  from  the  first  settlement,  in  1629,  to  1864.  .  .  An- 
other volume,  by  the  last-named  writer,  bringing  the  history  down  to  1883,  was  published.  .  . 
The  main  body  of  the  volume  now  in  hand  is  this  last-named  work  —  with  a  Supplement  con- 
tinuing the  Annals  on  to  1890  — thus  furnishing  what  is  believed  to  be  a  complete  History  of 
I,YNN  from  its  first  settlement,  in  1629  to  1890  — iwo  hundred  and  sixty-one  years. 

Indexes.  —On  page  295  commences  a  full  Index  of  the  preceding  pages.  On  page  310  is 
the  Index  to  the  Pictorial  Addenda.  And  at  the  close  of  the  Supplement  is  the  Index  to  that 
department. 

J.    K.   N. 
Lynn,  1890. 


The  present  book.  Volume  II,  History  of  Lynn,  is  the  same  work  described  in  the 
note  above,  with  the  addition  of  Annals  to  January  1,1893,  notes  having  been  left  by  the  author, 
prepared  to  that  date  before  his  decease. 

This  volume  is  published,  as  left  by  its  author,  and  in  the  same  form  as  the  1890  book, 
bringing  the  History  to  1893,  a  period  of  two  hundred  and  sixty-four  years.  His  preface  is 
left  intact,  and  if  the  reader  will  substitute  1892  for  1882  on  page  iii,  it  will  serve  for  this  book. 

The  Supplement  begins  on  page  329,  continuing  the  Annals  from  page  96.  Its  Index  is  on 
page  379. 

I.  A.  N.  and  H.  M.  N. 
Lynn,  1897. 


Copyright,  1897,  by  IsiiAEL  Augustus  and  Howard  Mudce  Newhall. 


ERRATA. 

On  page    57,  line    S,  read  20,000,000  instead  of  2,000,000. 

On  page  107,  line  12,  read  Thos.  Hudson  instead  of  Godson. 

On  page  132,  line     7,  read  eight  instead  of  one. 

On  page  134,  last  line,  read  July  instead  of  June. 

On  page   162.  line     8,  read  January  instead  of  March. 


55^7^3 


PREFACE. 


It  may  properly  be  remarked  that  the  volume  ni^w  in  the 
reader's  hand,  is  intended  in  one  sense  to  be  complete  in  itself; 
that  is,  to  embody  a  general  view  of  our  history,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  settlement  to  the  present  time.  Yet,  so  far  as  its 
record  is  in  the  form  of  annals,  it  is  supplementary  to  the  1865 
edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn  ;  and  the  reader  as  he  proceeds 
will  find  many  references  to  that  work.  This  course  was  adopted 
for  the  purpose  of  economising  in  the  matter  of  space,  by  avoiding 
repetition,  and  at  the  same  time  apprising  the  reader  where  further 
information  upon  a  given  topic  might  be  found.  For  the  same 
general  purpose,  also,  occasional  reference  is  made  to  the  "  Cen- 
tennial Memorial."  And  the  writer  is,  on  the  whole,  prepared  to 
claim,  with  some  confidence,  that  this  volume,  in  connection  with 
that  of  1865,  embodies  a  full  and  reliable  history  of  the  place 
from  the  first  settlement,  in  1629  down  to  1882,  with  as  few 
repetitions,  reviews,  or  recapitulations  as  would  be  consistent 
with  an  intelligent  and  comprehensive  view. 

There  has  been  no  waste  space  to  be  provided  for  ;  and  some 
things  have  been  omitted  with  hesitancy,  where  the  press  of 
matter  upon  the  writer's  attention  allowed  him  only  the  privilege 
of  choice  ;  a  privilege  that  he  has  always  exercised  in  a  manner 
that  seemed  most  desirable  for  the  reader. 

There  is,  in  a  work  of  this  kind,  far  more  danger  of  omission 
than  redundancy.     And  it  is  almost  certain  that  the  reader  will 

(iii) 


iv  Preface. 

think  of  some  topic  which  it  appears  to  him  has  not  been  set 
forth  with  desirable  fullness.  But  before  concluding  that  there 
is  an  omission,  accidental  or  intentional,  it  would  be  well  to 
consider  whether  the  matter  is  of  general  interest  or  of  interest 
only  to  himself  and  perhaps  a  few  others,  or  to  any  limited  or 
particular  class. 

While  it  has  not  been  thought  expedient,  when  speaking 
of  persons,  to  extenuate  in  a  degree  to  give  false  coloring  to 
character,  nothing  has  been  set  down  in  malice.  The  endeavor 
has  been  to  give  an  honest  and  fair  account  of  whoever  and 
whatever  has  come  under  notice. 

With  the  reception  of  his  former  imperfect  works  by  those 
whose  opinions  are  of  value,  the  writer  has  had  abundant  reason 
to  be  pleased  ;  and  all  courteous  and  well-intended  suggestions 
have  been  gratefully  received  and  duly  considered.  Whether 
his  escape  from  criticism  is  attributable  to  excellence  or  insig- 
nificance is  a  question  about  which  he  need  not  trouble  himself 
The  unfledged  critic,  as  every  writer  knows,  often  fancies  that 
he  has  demolished  an  author  when  he  has  only  amused  him. 
And  it  is  well  for  both  writer  and  reviewer  to  bear  in  mind  that 
no  author  can  be  written  down  by  any  pen  but  his  own  —  nor 
written  up,  as  to  that  matter. 

That  the  book  is  entirely  free  from  error,  is  beyond  the  bound 
of  expectation,  though  much  care  has  been  taken  to  have  all  the 
statements  correct.  It  would  be  extreme  arrogance  to  claim  for  it 
what  perhaps  no  other  printed  book  ever  yet  possessed  —  perfect 
accuracy.  A  word  is  said,  on  page  253,  touching  the  duties  and 
perplexities  of  authorship.  And  on  page  251  an  account  is 
given  of  the  different  editions  of  the  History  of  Lynn.  The  pres- 
ent volume  corresponds  in  the  size  of  page  and  general  style 
with  that  of  1865,  and  both  are  stereotyped. 


CONTENTS 


I.  Introduction  :  beginning  on  page  9 : 

This  Section  embraces  remarks  concerning  the  Northmen, 
and  their  supposed  early  visits  to  our  coast,  together  with 
a  brief  notice  of  the  Indians  found  here. 

II.  Annals  :  beginning  on  page  17  : 

In  this  Section  our  history  is  brought  forward,  in  the  form 
of  Annals,  from  1864  to  1882,  the  1865  edition  having,  in 
the  same  form,  recorded  events  from  the  time  of  the  first 
settlement,  in  1629,  to  said  year  1864. 

III.  Biographical  Sketches  :  beginning  on  page  97  : 

In  this  Section  appear,  alphabetically  arranged,  the  names 
of  more  than  two  hundred  individuals,  some  deceased,  and 
some  now  living,  who  have  been  residents  of  Lynn,  with 
sketches,  more  or  less  extended,  of  a  large  number  who 
have  in  various  ways  become  conspicuous. 

IV.  Miscellaneous  Notes  :  beginning  on  page  221  : 

This  Section  is  devoted  to  a  collection  of  detached  topics 
connected  with  our  history,  chiefly  illustrative  of  the  condi- 
tion of  things  at  various  periods. 

V.  Chronological  Table  :  beginning  on  page  275  : 

This  summary  is  full,  and  intended  of  itself  to  give  a  com- 
prehensive glance  at  our  whole  history,  comprising  notices 
of  remarkable  events  and  interesting  occurrences,  with 
details  sufficient  for  a  clear  understanding. 

(V) 


V* 


Contents. 


VI.  Conclusion:  beginning  on  page  285  : 

In  this  Section  appear  compendious  remarks  of  a  somewhat 
desultory  character,  but  pertinent  and  in  accord  with  the 
general  purpose  of  the  volume. 

VII.  The  Index  :  occupying  the  closing  pages  of  the  volume  : 
This  contains  all  the  personal  names  in  the  book,  arranged 
alphabetically  with  the  subjects. 

VIII.  Pictorial  Addenda  :  page   311. 


TERRITORIAL    DIAGRAM    OF    ANCIENT    LYNN. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Preceding  the  title-page  are  four  pages  of  Illustrations,  to  wit : 

1.  Market   street,    Lynn,    (south-west   side,)    as    it   appeared 

in  1820. 

2.  Town  Hall,  King's  Lynn,  England,  and  City  Hall,  Lynn, 

Mass. 

3.  St.    Margaret's    Church,   King's   Lynn,   England,  and   St. 

Stephen's,  Church,  Lynn,  Mass. 

4.  Two  Portraits  of  Alonzo  Lewis,  one  of  Charles  F.  Lummus, 

and  one  of  James  R.  Newhall. 

Respecting  each  of  these  a  word  or  two  may  properly  be  said : 

Tlie  View  in  Market  Street  gives,  in  two  sections,  the  entire  south-westerly  side,  as 
it  was  sixty  years  ago.  This  drawing,  and  several  others  in  the  present  volume,  were 
made  by  the  skillful  young  draughtsman,  William  T.  Oliver,  of  course  from  details 
furnished  by  older  persons.  In  his  grandfather's  shop  —  indicated  by  22  —  William 
Lloyd  Garrison  worked  at  shoemaking.  The  writer  well  remembers  the  street  as  it 
was  at  that  period,  and  can  confidently  attest  to  the  remarkable  fidelity  of  the  picture. 

The  Town  Hall,  and  St.  Margaret's  Church,  of  Lynn,  England,  were  carefully 
drawn,  by  Mr.  Oliver,  from  photographs  kindly  sent  to  the  writer  by  Solicitor  J.  J. 
Coulton.  The  Hall  is  ancient ;  but  the  precise  date  of  its  erection  seems  doubtful. 
The  style,  in  the  main  parts  at  least,  will  be  recognized  as  early  English;  though 
additions  have  evidently  been  made,  without  a  very  careful  eye  to  architectural  unity. 
The  front  is  composed  of  alternate  squares  of  flint  and  freestone,  the  former  beauti- 
fully squared  and  fitted.  St.  Margaret's  was  built  about  the  year  iioo,  and  hence  is 
now  near  eight  hundred  years  old.  It  was  built  by  the  first  Bishop  of  Norwich,  who 
also  built  the  Cathedral  at  Norwich  and  Church  of  St.  Nicholas  at  Yarmouth,  to 
expiate  his  simony.  It  was  from  the  wall  of  this  ancient  temple  that  the  stone  which 
with  its  friendly  inscription  rests  in  the  vestibule  of  our  St.  Stephen's,  was  taken. 
See  page  86 ;  also  page  76.     Pictures  of  our  own  City  Hall,  and  St.  Step/ten's  Church 

(Vii) 


Vlll 


Illustrations. 


accompany  these,  but  it  is  unnecessary  to  go  into  details  here,  concerning  them,  and 
the  reader  is  referred  to  pages  93  and  259. 

The  Portraits  to  some  extent  speak  for  themselves.  The  beardless  one  of  Mr. 
Lewis  represents  him  at  the  age  of  37,  and  is  copied  from  one  of  Pendleton's  litho- 
graphs, executed  in  1831.  Mr.  L.  himself  considered  it  a  good  hkeness ;  and  as  he 
showed  it  to  the  writer  on  the  eve  of  the  publication  of  his  volume  of  poems,  in 
which  it  appeared,  and  elicited  the  innocent  remark  that  it  certainly  did  the  subject 
no  injustice  in  the  matter  of  personal  appearance,  he  rather  sharply  intimated  that 
the  critic's  own  discernment  was  not  above  criticism.  The  bearded  one,  which  repre- 
sents him  at  the  age  of  63,  will  be  recognized  by  many  who  well  remember  him,  as 
very  accurate.  The  likeness  of  Mr.  Lummus  represents  him  at  the  age  of  32.  It  is 
from  a  painting  by  Wheeler,  who  for  some  time  made  his  home  in  Lynn  —  a  good 
artist,  but  in  some  respects  an  erratic  character.  Mr.  L.  thought  it  a  good  likeness  ; 
and  so  thought  his  friends.  The  remaining  one  of  the  four  is  from  a  daguerreotype 
taken  at  the  age  of  38.  These  Portraits  as  they  appear  all  on  one  page,  seem  a  little 
crowded,  to  be  sure ;  but  then,  in  former  years,  the  individuals  not  unfrequently 
stood  "  shoulder  to  shoulder  "  in  their  labors,  though  it  will  not  be  claimed  that  the 
air  was  invariably  serene  when  the  three  met  to  make  melody  in  the  old  Mirror 
office,  fifty  years  ago. 

The  other  Illustrations,  being  generally  accompanied  by  expla- 
nations, seem  to  need  nothing  beyond  mere  enumeration  here. 

Autographs.  A  large  number  of  fac-similes  of  interesting  auto- 
graphs appear  in  our  volume,  any  one  of  which  may  be  readily 
found  by  referring  to  the  index,  under  the  head  "  Autographs." 


Autographs.     (See  Index,  page  295.) 
Birth-place  of  Alonzo  Lewis,  166. 
Burying-ground,  first  in  Lynn,  291. 
Comet  of  1S82,  283. 
Cottage  in  which  Mr.  Lewis  died,  167. 
Cradle  of  Methodism  —  the  old  Johnson 

house.  Market  street,  315. 
Diagram,  territorial,  of  old  Lynn,  vi. 
Dwelling-houses,  early  fashions  of,  224, 

318,  319,  320. 
Enoch  R.  Mudge's  villa,  321. 
Episcopal  church,  first  in  Lynn,  260. 
Exchange  block,  317. 
First    Parish   meeting-houses,    31  J,    312, 

313- 
Hart  or  Haven  house,  (ancient)  224. 
Indian  signatures  to  deed  of  Lynn,  16. 


Lewis,  Alonzo,  his  birth-place,  166;  the 
cottage  in  which  he  died,  167. 

Lover's  Leap,  309. 

Lyceum  building,  30. 

Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  55. 

Old  Tunnel  meeting-house,  312. 

Pumping  engine  house,  57. 

Rail-road  stations.  First  in  Lynn,  316; 
one  of  1848,  40. 

Rebecca  Nurse  house,  318. 

Soldiers'  monument,  59. 

Sweetser  building,  317. 

View  at  Forest  Place,  323. 

View  at  Lynnmere,  (Mineral  Spring)  325. 

View  at  residence  of  Jas.  R.  Newhall,  327. 

Witch  House,  320. 

Witt's  Rock,  309. 


HISTORY  OF  LYNN. 


INTRODUCTION. 

It  has  been  a  favorite  custom  with  some  New  England  histo- 
rical writers  to  claim  that  our  coast  was  not  only  discovered 
but  temporarily  occupied,  here  and  there,  by  the  Northmen,  or 
Vickings,  not  far  from  the  year  looo.  Mr.  Bancroft,  however, 
rather  treats  the  idea  as  fanciful  ;  and  his  opinion  is  certainly 
sufficient  to  justify  grave  doubts.  But  without  occupying  space 
to  review  the  grounds  on  which  of  late  much  earnest  disputation 
has  been  indulged  in,  we  will  quote  from  Mr.  Lewis  a  passage 
that  most  concerns  ourselves,  and  append  to  it  a  remark  or  two 
which  discoveries  made  since  he  wrote  seem  to  require : 

The  Scandinavian  manuscripts  inform  us  that  in  the  year  9S6,  Eric  the  Red,  an 
Icelandic  prince,  emigrated  to  Greenland.  In  his  company  was  Bardson,  whose  son 
Biarne  was  then  on  a  voyage  to  Norway.  On  his  return,  going  in  search  of  his 
father,  he  was  driven  far  to  sea,  and  discovered  an  unknown  country.  In  the  year 
1000,  Leif,  a  son  of  Eric,  pursued  the  discovery  of  the  new  country,  and  sailed  along 
the  coast  as  far  as  Rhode  Island,  where  he  made  a  settlement ;  and  because  he  found 
grapes  there,  he  called  it  Vineland.  In  1002,  Thorwald,  his  brother,  went  to  Vine- 
land,  where  he  remained  two  years. 

It  is  very  reasonable  to  suppose  that  these  voyagers,  in  sailing  along  the  coast, 
discovered  Lynn,  and  it  is  even  probable  that  they  landed  at  Nahant.  In  1004,  we 
are  informed  that  Thorwald,  leaving  Vineland,  or  Rhode  Island,  "  sailed  eastward, 
and  then  northward,  past  a  remarkable  headland,  enclosing  a  bay,  and  which  was 
opposite  to  another  headland.  They  called  it  Kialarnes,  or  Keel-cape,"  from  its 
resemblance  to  the  keel  of  a  ship.  There  is  no  doubt  that  this  was  Cape  Cod.  And 
as  they  had  no  map,  and  could  not  see  Cape  Ann,  it  is  probable  that  the  other  head- 
land was  the  Gurnet.  "  From  thence,  they  sailed  along  the  eastern  coast  of  the  land 
to  a  promontory  which  there  projected  —  probably  Nahant  —  and  which  was  every 

(9) 


lO  Introduction. 

where  covered  with  wood.  Here  Thorwald  went  ashore,  with  all  his  companions 
He  was  so  pleased  with  the  place,  that  he  exclaimed :  *  Here  it  is  beautiful !  and 
here  I  should  like  to  fix  my  dwelling  ! '  Afterwards,  when  they  were  prepared  to  go 
on  board,  they  observed  on  the  sandy  beach,  within  the  promontory,  three  hillocks. 
They  repaired  thither,  and  found  three  canoes,  and  under  each  three  Skrellings  — 
(Indians.)  They  came  to  blows  with  them,  and  killed  eight  of  them,  but  the  ninth 
escaped  in  his  canoe.  Afterwards  a  countless  multitude  of  them  came  out  from  the 
interior  of  the  bay  against  them.  They  endeavored  to  protect  themselves  by  raising 
battle-screens  on  the  ship's  side.  The  Skrellings  continued  shooting  at  them  for  a 
while  and  then  retired.  Thorwald  had  been  wounded  by  an  arrow  under  the  arm. 
When  he  found  that  the  wound  was  mortal,  he  said,  '  I  now  advise  you  to  prepare 
for  your  departure  as  soon  as  possible ;  but  me  ye  shall  bring  to  the  promontory 
where  I  thought  it  good  to  dwell.  It  may  be  that  it  was  a  prophetic  word  which 
fell  from  my  mouth,  about  my  abiding  there  for  a  season.  There  ye  shall  bury  me; 
and  plant  a  cross  at  my  head  and  also  at  my  feet,  and  call  the  place  Krossanes  — 
[the  Cape  of  the  Cross]  —  in  all  time  coming.'  He  died,  and  they  did  as  he  had 
ordered  ;  afterwards  they  returned."     Aittiquitates  Americana:,  xxx. 

The  question  has  arisen  whether  Krossanes  was  Nahant  or  Gurnet  Point.  There 
is  nothing  remarkable  about  the  latter  place,  and  though  so  long  a  time  has  passed, 
no  person  has  thought  it  desirable  to  dwell  there,  but  it  is  used  as  a  sheep  pasture. 
It  is  far  otherwise  with  Nahant,  which  answers  to  the  description  well.  An  early 
writer  says  that  it  was  "well  wooded  with  oaks,  pines,  and  cedars;"  and  it  has  a 
"sandy  beach  within  the  promontory."  Thousands  also,  on  visiting  it,  have  borne 
witness  to  the  appropriateness  of  Thorwald's  exclamation  —  "Here  it  is  beautiful ! 
and  here  I  should  like  to  fix  my  dwelling  ! " 

This  is  pleasant  reading,  and  it  would  be  desirable  to  sustain 
the  conclusions,  or  suppositions,  if  in  honesty  it  could  be  done. 
It  would  be  highly  gratifying  to  our  gentle  neighbors  of  the 
peninsula  to  be  assured  that  they  have  in  keeping  the  dust  of  the 
distinguished  Vicking  chief,  who  was  not  only  famous  himself, 
but  the  head  of  a  line  which  has  given  the  world  some  of  its 
most  brilliant  lights  —  among  others  the  renov.rned  sculptor  Thor- 
wald. And  the  blissful  faith,  romantic  and  doubtful  as  it  is, 
may,  possibly,  after  all,  be  well  founded,  though  if  it  should  prove 
otherwise,  the  favored  region  has  an  abundance  of  other  blessings 
to  fall  back  upon.  The  authority  on  which  the  conclusions  em- 
bodied in  the  above  extract  appear  to  rest,  is  a  famous  Danish 
work,  published  at  Copenhagen,  in  1837.  It  is  a  very  learned 
work,  but  by  an  author  who  seems  to  have  occasionally  permitted 
his  enthusiasm  to  get  the  better  of  his  judgment ;  for  it  is  now 
generally  conceded  by  the  more  keensighted  class  of  antiquaries, 
that  it  advances  theories  that  cannot  be  sustained. 

That  the  Vickings  did  visit  lands  far  to  the  south  of  Greenland, 
is  quite  certain  ;  but  whether  they  came  within  Massachusetts 


Introduction.  ii 

ba3\  Vineyard  sound,  or  the  Narragansett  waters,  is  doubted. 
The  Vicking  lodgment  that  received  the  name  Vineland,  is,  in 
the  foregoing  extract,  unhesitatingly  placed  in  Rhode  Island  ; 
but  it  should  be  remarked  that  intelligent  authorities  have  given 
it  a  very  different  location.  Some  have  placed  it  as  far  north  as 
Nova  Scotia,  or  even  Labrador,  in  which  latter  country  dwelt 
theEsquimaux,  who,  according  to  Hartwig,  were  called  Skrellen  ■ 
gers,  or  screamers  —  not  simply  Indians,  as  the  quotation  has  it. 
The  evidence  of  the  old  mill  at  Newport,  and  the  hieroglyphic 
rock  at  Dighton,  has  been  ruled  out ;  and  with  it  has  gone 
much  of  the  authority  that  attached  to  the  great  work  which  so 
unwarily  adopted  them  as  monuments  of  Vicking  genius  and 
handiwork.  The  mill  was  undoubtedly  erected  by  an  early 
settler,  for  the  worthy  purpose  of  grinding  his  neighbors'  grists  ; 
and  the  hieroglyphic  adornments  were  most  probably  the  work 
of  some  Indian,  proud  of  his  artistic  acquirements  or  an  aspirant 
for  historic  fame.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the  Indians  had 
no  mode  of  writing,  no  way  of  expressing  an  idea  by  visible  char- 
acters ;  but  recent  examinations  and  discoveries  have  proved 
that  the  fact  is  otherwise.  And  by  the  way,  speaking  of  the 
Newport  mill  and  the  Dighton  rock  inscription,  it  seems  remark- 
able that  no  one  appears  to  have  observed  that  the  two  so  differ 
in  mechanical  expression,  if  the  term  is  allowable,  that  it  is 
hardly  possible  they  could  have  been  the  work  of  the  same  people. 
At  all  events,  if  these  roving  Northmen  were  here  at  the  early 
period  claimed  it  is  evident  that  they  did  not  brave  the  ocean 
terrors  for  any  legitimate  purposes  of  discovery,  or  with  any 
tangible  convictions  touching  the  existence  of  unknown  lands. 
They  were  adventurous  freebooters,  brave,  reckless,  barbarous  ; 
bent  on  making  themselves  possessors  of  whatever  they  coveted, 
by  force,  fraud,  or  any  other  means  suggested  by  their  brutish 
genius.  And  so  they  pursued  their  savage  career,  occasionally 
driven  from  their  contemplated  course  by  the  violence  of  the 
elements,  but  never  from  their  purpose  of  rapine  and  murder  by 
the  gentler  instincts  of  humanity.  But  yet  it  becomes  us  to  be  a 
little  chary  of  our  denunciations  of  these  people,  for  they  were 
our  own  forefathers.  From  their  loins  sprang  the  brave  Saxons 
who  have  been  so  lauded  as  a  race,  and  whose  blood  we  so  love 
to  claim  flows  in  our  own  veins. 


12  Introduction. 

A  lively  imagination  will  often  make  surprising  discoveries, 
trace  unexpected  analogies,  and  form  captivating  theories,  where 
we  of  the  duller  sort  discern  nothing  unusual.  And  who  that 
has  reflected  on  the  diversity  of  human  minds  has  not  felt  almost 
hopelessly  bewildered.  There  is  as  much  difference  among 
minds  as  among  faces  ;  and  would  that  there  might  be  invented 
a  mirror  in  which  to  trace  our  mental  features  as  we  do  our 
physical,  in  the  looking-glass.  There  is  little  difficulty  in  recog- 
nising- leading  chafacteristics.  We  know  the  mathematical  mind 
by  its  preciseness  ;  the  poetical  by  its  ready  discernment  and  love 
of  the  beautiful ;  the  semi-preternatural  by  its  delight  in  things 
striking  and  marvellous.  Now,  in  our  friend  Lewis's  mind  were 
combined,  in  a  somewhat  peculiar  manner,  the  two  latter  qualities 
indicated.  He  had  poetical  conception  and  a  love  of  the  marvel- 
lous ;  and  under  their  prompting,  stimulated  by  the  fascinations 
of  historic  imagery,  without  doubt  wrote  the  foregoing  paragraphs. 

It  is  quite  interesting  to  observe  with  what  avidity  intelligent 
as  well  as  untrained  minds  will  accept  any  thing  that  tallies  with 
their  peculiar  bent  ;  and  quite  as  interesting  to  observe  how  the 
same  minds  will  reject  the  most  reasonable  conclusions  that  do 
not  accord  with  their  ideal  prepossessions.  Then  there  are  some 
who  will  believe  any  thing  that  requires  the  most  feverish  credu- 
lity to  grasp,  and  others  who  will  believe  nothing  that  demands 
but  a  small  degree  of  faith.  We  often  treat  with  scorn  and 
derision  those  much  better  and  abler  than  ourselves  simply  be- 
cause we  are  incapable  of  comprehending  their  ideas,  if  ideas  they 
have.  As  to  that,  however,  most  of  us  have  ideas  enough,  such 
as  they  are,  but  fail  to  systematise  and  express  them,  when  they 
happen  to  be  of  value,  in  a  way  to  give  force  or  even  to  be  under- 
stood. Education  helps  to  do  something  here.  But  then  our 
gifts  are  various  ;  and  with  many  the  gift  of  slothfulness  is  so 
overwhelming  that  with  the  best  of  tools  little  work  is  done.  It 
was  not  intended,  however,  to  indulge  in  a  sentimental  strain, 
but  rather,  in  a  homely  way,  and  as  correlative  to  what  has 
been  said,  to  remark  that  it  is  really  astonishing  to  observe 
how  even  accomplished  scientists  may  be  deceived  and  led  to 
erroneous  conclusions  by  baseless  suggestions,  adroitly  made, 
in  matters  which  they  might  be  supposed  constantly  to  hold  in 
full  survey. 


Introduction,  13 

In  the  writer's  own  experience  there  once  occurred  an  incident 
so  aptly  illustrative  of  the  point,  that  he  would  fain  narrate  it  in 
this  connection  though  he  must  do  so  with  diffidence  and  morti- 
fication—  diffidence  lest  he  should  be  charged  with  vanity,  and 
mortification  at  having  been  the  apparent  cause  of  disturbance 
in  many  worthy  minds  :  When  a  young  man,  he  one  day  hap- 
pened in  the  printing  office  of  a  friend,  who  saluted  him  with  a 
"  Come,  write  us  something  for  tomorrow's  paper."  The  reply 
was,  "If  you  will  hand  me  a  stick  and  rule  and  show  me  to  a 
case  —  [a  request  that  all  printers  will  understand]  —  I  will  set 
you  up  something  without  writing."  The  proposition  was  com- 
plied with,  and  a  piece  of  perhaps  half  a  column  in  length  imme- 
diately set  up  and  left  without  any  further  care.  It  purported  to 
detail  some  wonderful  changes  going  on  among  the  heavenly 
bodies  ;  was  simply  in  a  sportive  vein  and  expected  to  be  so 
understood.  Some  of  the  statements  were  so  glaringly  inconsis- 
tent with  established  facts  that  it  was  astonishing  to  observe 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  received  by  even  wary  savants. 
It  was  copied  throughout  the  country,  and  referred  to  in  pulpit 
discourses;  and  a  New  York  paper — the  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser, if  we  were  rightly  informed  —  stated  that  it  was  trans- 
lated into  various  languages  and  published  all  over  Europe. 
The  editor  of  the  paper  among  other  letters  received  one  from 
Professor  Olmstead  of  Yale  College  urgently  requesting  informa- 
tion respecting  its  origin,  and  adding  that  he  had  been  seriously 
annoyed  by  the  numerous  letters  he  had  received  asking  for 
explanations  which  he  could  not  give,  notwithstanding  he  had 
twice  given  notice  through  the  New  Haven  papers  that  he  knew 
nothing  about  it.  It  was  subsequently  announced  that  at  the 
National  Observatory,  in  Washington,  it  had  been  declared  a 
romance.  The  affair  finally  died  away,  much  to  the  relief  of  the 
innocent  author.  Yet  there  were  some  amusing  things  about 
it.  ,  One  of  the  most  scholarly  men  in  town,  remarked,  on  reading 
it,  that  he  had  for  several  nights  observed  that  Venus  presented 
the  remarkable  appearance  spoken  of  The  ease  with  which 
even  intelligent  minds  may  be  led  astray,  as  illustrated  by  this 
incident,  is  instructive.  However,  it  is  claimed  that  every  thing 
has  its  use  ;  and  without  the  vein  of  credulity  and  habit  of  super- 
ficial observation  the  quack  philosopher,  the  counterfeit  philan- 


14  Introduction, 

thropist,  and  the  patent  medicine  maker  would  not  flourish  as 
they  do. 

Taking  a  step  further  down  in  the  history  of  the  territory  we 
occupy,  we  come  to  the  Indians.  A  great  deal  of  virtuous  senti- 
ment has  been  expended,  we  will  not  say  wasted,  upon  them. 
That  there  were  here  and  there  noble  spirits  need  not  be  ques- 
tioned ;  for  the  Creator  never  left  a  people  in  so  forlorn  a  condi- 
tion that  there  were  not  some  among  them  in  whose  breasts  faint 
glimmerings  at  least  of  his  own  divine  light  remained.  But  the 
great  body  of  the  red  men  were  of  an  extremely  low  order  —  cruel 
and  implacable  —  with  little  conception  of  a  higher  life,  or  of 
human  progress  ;  ambitious  only  of  triumph  over  enemies,  of 
dexterity  in  physical  torture,  and  the  extension  of  tribal  authority. 
Yet  they  were  as  susceptible  as  any  other  people  to  the  redeem.- 
ing  influences  of  the  faith  their  invaders  held.  What  they  soon 
would  have  become  had  the  settlers  pursued  a  more  kind  and 
pacific,  yea,  honest  course,  must  ever  remain  among  the  undeter- 
mined questions  with  which  human  history  abounds.  But  as  it 
was,  they  began  rapidly  to  dwindle  away  ;  for  big  guns  and 
catechisms  cannot  alone  save  a  people ;  especially  where  new, 
alluring,  and  destructive  vices  press  forward  in  their  company. 

There  were,  indeed,  but  few  Indians  in  and  about  Lynn  at  the 
time  the  settlers  came,  and  not  half  a  score  who  were  above  the 
common  level.  Montowampate,  who  lived  on  Sagamore  Hill, 
was  a  chief  who  stood  much  on  his  dignity.  He  was  married 
during  the  year  in  which  the  first  settlers  came,  being  then 
twenty  years  of  age.  The  marriage  was  celebrated  with  much 
barbaric  pomp.  But  a  while  after,  the  wife  went  on  a  visit  to  the 
home  of  her  maidenhood,  and  when  the  time  for  her  return  came 
a  difficulty  arose  between  the  husband  and  his  father-in-law  on  a 
point  of  etiquette,  that  seemed  to  threaten  serious  consequences, 
to  the  young  couple  especially.  Matters,  however,  were  finally 
adjusted  and  the  dusky  bride  returned  to  her  allegiance.  The 
great  question  of  woman's  rights  was  to  some  extent  involved  ; 
and  duty,  dignity,  and  love,  seemed  to  hold  as  fitful  sway  in 
those  untutored  hearts  as  in  hearts  trained  to  more  refined  world- 
liness.  Then  there  was  Poquanum,  or  Black  Will,  who  appears 
to  have  been  shrewd,  venturesome,  and  unscrupulous  ;  and  by 
his  sale  of  Nahant  to  farmer  Dexter,  for  a  suit  of  clothes,  left  the 


Introduction.  15 

town  a  legacy,  in  the  shape  of  legal  involutions  which  they  would 
gladly  have  buried  with  him. 

But  the  pages  of  our  1865  volume  contain  so  much  of  all  that 
is  known  of  the  red  men  who  pursued  the  game  in  our  woods  and 
the  fish  in  our  waters,  that  it  would  be  almost  impertinent  to 
enlarge  here.  Before  taking  another  step  along  in  our  history, 
however,  let  us  say  a  word  or  two  respecting  Indian  land  titles, 
which  seem  to  have  been  of  a  rambling,  uncertain  character. 
The  settlers  were  generally  willing  to  pay  for  what  they  occupied  ; 
that  is,  pay  something ;  perhaps  a  hatchet  or  a  hammer  for 
forty  acres  ;  and  the  pretended  owners  were  seldom  averse  to 
selling ;  indeed  they  were  much  too  willing,  for  they  would  sell  a 
tract  over  and  over  again  as  long  as  a  purchaser  could  be  found. 
Some  of  the  chiefs  claimed  a  right  in  the  nature  of  eminent 
domain  ;  a  right  that  seems  usually  to  have  been  undisputed. 
The  lands,  however,  were  of  little  direct  value  to  the  Indians,  for 
they  were  not  an  agricultural  nor  a  pastoral  people.  The  ques- 
tion of  titles  was  long  one  of  difficulty  and  dispute.  By  the  spirit 
of  the  Charter  it  was  plain  enough  that  the  settler  could  hold  by 
occupation,  subject  to  the  native  ownership.  But  perplexity  in 
determining  who  the  right  owner  was,  often  arose,  for  chiefships 
w^re  so  interwoven  that  nothing  appeared  clear.  Governor 
Andros  assumed  that  the  signature  of  an  Indian  was  of  no  more 
value  than  the  scratch  of  a  bear's  claw  —  and  he  did  what  he 
could  to  make  it  so.  But  it  is  quite  evident  that  the  settlers  held 
otherwise,  or  were  at  least  anxious  to  guard  against  a  contingency 
which  they  feared  might  arise. 

It  was  with  this  feeling,  no  doubt,  that  the  people  of  Lynn, 
in  1686 — more  than  fifty  years  after  the  plantation  was  estab- 
lished—  procured  from  the  heirs  of  the  deceased  chief  Wenepoy- 
kin,  a  release  to  them  of  all  claim  to  the  lands  here,  those  heirs 
afifirming  in  their  deed  that  their  ancestor  was  the  true  and  sole 
owner  of  "  y^  land  that  y®  towns  of  Lynn  and  Reading  aforesaid 
stand  upon,  and  notwithstanding  y^  possession  of  y^  English, 
dwelling  in  those  townships  of  Lynn  and  Reading  aforesaid." 
These  heirs,  it  would  appear,  claimed  under  the  sovereignty 
of  their  ancestor,  and  did  not  admit  that  they  had  been  legally 
dispossessed.  The  purchasing  settlers  probably  did  not  much 
care  v/hat  they  did  claim,  as  the  consideration  was  trifling,  and 


l6  Introduction. 

they  had  no  fear  of  the  appearance  of  others,  at  that  late  period, 
with  further  claims.  And  the  Indians  must  have  seen  of  how  little 
value  the  territory  could  in  the  future  be  to  them.  Yet  to  Lynn, 
this  release  might  prove  of  the  greatest  value,  in  view  of  the 
position  a  new  administration,  might  assume.  The  following  are 
fac-similes  of  the  Indian  signatures  to  the  deed. 


David  Kunkshamooshaw  and  Abigail  his  wife,     ^f 


t 


Cicely  alias  Su  George 


^^^-^vb 


Mary  Ponham  alias  Quonopohit. 

[James   Quonopohit,    Mary's   husband,   was   a  fair 

penman,  and  signed  his  name  in  full.]  ^^^ 

INDIAN  SIGNATURES  TO  THE  DEED  OF  LYNN. 


Here  we  must  bid  adieu  to  our  red  brethren,  ardently  hoping 
that  the  remaining  few  of  their  forlorn  and  abused  race  may  yet 
receive  what  is  their  just  due,  be  sanctified  and  redeemed,  and 
finally  in  the  blissful  land  of  reconciliation  joyfully  meet  their 
arrogant  supplanters,  they  too  sanctified  and  redeemed  by  the 
same  regerating  love. 

Having  thus  in  a  necessarily  brief  and  hence  somewhat  unsat- 
isfactory manner,  spoken  of  the  Northmen  and  the  Indians,  we 
come  to  greet  the  European  settlers  —  our  own  forefathers. 
And  here  our  "  Introduction  "  may  properly  end,  as  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages,  together  with  the  volume  which  has  gone  before, 
many  of  the  old  worthies  and  their  successors  of  every  period 
down  to  the  present,  are  summoned  in  to  tell  their  own  stories 
and  illustrate  their  own  times. 


ANNALS. 


[Note.  These  Annals  are  continued  on  from  the  History  of  Lynn,  published  in 
1865,  in  which  they  begin  with  the  year  1629,  the  date  of  the  commencement  of  the 
settlement.] 


1865 


Monday,  April  3d,  was  a  time  of  great  rejoicing  in  Lynn,  the 
news  of  the  fall  of  Richmond,  the  head  quarters  of  the  revolted 
States,  being  then  received.  Bells  were  rung,  cannon  fired,  flags 
raised,  and  bonfires  kindled.  Many  buildings  were  beautifully 
illuminated,  though  the  news  was  not  fully  confirmed  till  towards 
night.  The  Light  Infantry  company  hastened  to  show  their 
appreciation  of  the  event,  and  were  soon  marching  through  the 
streets,  with  a  band  of  music.  Fireworks  gleamed  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  the  whole  city  seemed  aroused.  A  bonfire  blazed  on 
Sadler's  Rock  the  entire  night ;  and  the  material  of  which  it  was 
composed  being  heavy  tarred  paper  its  remains  were  clearly 
visible  more  than  fifteen  years  after.  Old  High  Rock,  also, 
lighted  up  the  adjacent  country  with  her  fiery  crown. 

One  week  after  the  above  day  of  rejoicing,  namely,  April  10, 
the  people  were  again  jubilant,  and  this  time,  over  the  crowning 
event  of  the  war  —  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  commander 
of  the  Confederate  forces.  The  weather,  however,  not  being 
favorable,  the  proposed  proceedings  were  somewhat  abridged. 
A  procession,  composed  of  military  and  fire  companies,  various 
civic  associations  and  patriotic  individuals,  moved  through  the 
thronged  streets,  with  music  and  banners.  One  or  two  individu- 
als who  were  reputed  to  entertain  secession  views,  or  who  had 
indulged  in  expressions  favorable  to  the  rebel  cause,  were  visited 
with  rough  threats,  and  forced  to  display  Union  flags.  It  was 
proposed  to  hold  a  meeting,  in  the  evening,  in  Lyceum  Hall,  for 
speeches  and  other  congratulatory  proceedings,  but  the  exhausted 
condition  of  some  of  the  leaders  and  the  drenching  rain  made  it 
expedient  to  dispense  with  that  part  of  the  programme. 

The  conspicuous  and  rather  picturesque  little  wooden  building 
on  the  summit  of  High  Rock,  known  as  the  Observatory,  was 

(17)  2 


1 8  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 865. 

burned  on  the  night  of  April  19;  perhaps  the  work  of  some 
patriotic  incendiary  who  took  that  way  of  celebrating  the  anni- 
versary of  the  first  battle  of  the  Revolution. 

News  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  was  received 
in  Lynn  on  Saturday,  April  15,  and  was  followed  by  becom- 
ing demonstrations  of  profound  sorrow.  The  Mayor  issued  a 
request  that  all  business  places  should  be  closed  at  noon,  which 
was  readily  complied  with,  and  mourning  drapery  was  freely 
displayed.  The  City  Council  convened  early  in  the  afternoon 
and  adopted  resolutions  expressive  of  a  deep  sense  of  the  nation's 
bereavement.  On  Sunday  the  churches  were  draped  in  mourn- 
ing, and  appropriate  services  held.  The  city  authorities  attended 
the  First  Methodist  church. 

At  Swampscott,  on  the  arrival  of  the  news  of  the  President's 
death,  one  individual,  of  alleged  strong  secession  proclivities,  was 
so  indiscreet  as  to  manifest  his  satisfaction  in  such  strong  terms 
as  to  kindle  the  wrath  of  his  patriotic  neighbors,  who  seized  him, 
and  after  bedecking  him  with  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers  set  him 
forth  on  a  compulsory  march  through  the  town,  bearing  a  Union 
flag,  large  numbers  following  in  procession.  He  afterwards 
brought  a  civil  suit  for  damages,  persistently  declaring  that  his 
expressions  were  misinterpreted,  and  recovered  judgment  for  $800. 

There  were  five  photographic  establishments  in  Lynn,  this  year, 
at  which  were  taken  the  aggregate  number  of  38.500  pictures. 

An  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  lobster  trade  in  this  vicinity  may 
be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  during  the  year  ending  May  i, 
there  were  taken  at  Nahant  150.000,  and  at  Swampscott  37.000, 
which  were  valued,  as  taken  from  the  traps,  at  an  average  of  six 
cents  each. 

The  fine  mansion  on  Ocean  street,  for  some  time,  and  until 
his  death,  the  summer  residence  of  William  H.  Prescott,  the  his- 
torian, was  destroyed  by  fire  on  Sunday  morning.  May  7.  It 
belonged  to  the  widow  of  the  historian  at  the  time  of  its  destruc- 
tion, but  was  unoccupied. 

Mrs.  Mary  Kirby  was  killed  by  falling  into  a  culvert  on  the 
Eastern  railroad,  near  Market  street,  June  14. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon,  June  20,  the  bodies  of  John  S.  Joyce, 
aged  12,  and  his  sister  Isabella,  aged  14,  were  buried  in  one 
coffin,  from  St.  Stephen's  church,  where  they  had  been  Sunday 
school  scholars.  These  were  the  children  whose  terrible  death 
sent  such  a  thrill  through  the  community.  They  were  found 
murdered  in  a  piece  of  woods,  in  West  Roxbury,  near  Boston, 
whither  they  had  gone  for  an  afternoon's  recreation.  No  trace 
of  the  murderer  was  discovered. 

Daniel  Ames,  of  Lynn,  in  a  sportive  wrestling  contest  with 
Edward  Gibson,  at  Nahant,  June  17,  received  injuries  from  which 
he  died  two  days  after. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1865,  I9 

Independence  was  this  year  celebrated,  in  Lynn,  with  more 
than  usual  pomp,  all  parties  joining.  There  was  a  grand  proces- 
sion, music,  speeches,  and  in  the  evening  a  fine  display  of  fire- 
works. A  balloon  ascension  was  to  have  taken  place  fi"om  the 
Common,  in  the  afternoon,  but  an  unfavorable  wind  rendered  it 
expedient  to  postpone  that,  till  the  sixth,  when  it  took  place  in  a 
manner  highly  satisfactory. 

The  taxation  of  Lynn,  this  year,  under  the  United  States  rev- 
enue laws,  was  $626,993.12,  being  chiefly,  of  course,  on  manufac- 
tures.    There  were  then  but  about  20.000  inhabitants. 

In  July,  several  sharks  appeared  in  Lynn  harbor,  to  the  terror 
of  bathers  and  boatmen.  And  it  may  be  stated  in  this  connec- 
tion that  the  ferocious  species  known  as  man-eaters,  some  times 
make  their  unwelcome  visits  to  these  waters.  In  18 19  a  boy 
was  fishing  near  the  mouth  of  Thomas  Newhall's  creek,  so  called, 
at  Saugus  river,  when  one  of  those  desperate  rovers  suddenly 
sprang  towards  him  with  such  a  momentum  as  to  ground  him- 
self. The  affrighted  boy,  by  his  shouts  attracted  the  attention 
of  a  couple  of  men  at  work  on  the  marsh,  and  they,  hastening 
to  the  scene  with  their  pitchforks,  succeeded  in  despatching  the 
monster. 

A  considerable  number  of  whales  were  observed  at  different 
times  during  the  summer  moving  about  in  the  offing. 

During  this  year  there  began  to  be  seriously  felt  the  need 
of  a  larger  number  of  dwelling  houses,  especially  those  suitable 
for  the  accommodation  of  working  people.  Capitalists  had  in- 
vested so  largely  in  government  securities,  and  in  enterprises 
promising  greater  returns  —  these  being  times  rather  fruitful  of 
speculative  schemes  —  comparatively  little  was  devoted  to  the 
erection  of  tenement  houses.  A  large  number  of  workmen  were 
obliged  to  come  into  town  in  the  morning  rail-road  trains,  labor 
during  the  day,  and  return  to  their  distant  homes  by  the  evening 
trains.     And  the  inconvenience  was  felt  for  several  years. 

The  number  of  individuals  attached  to  the  Sunday  schools 
of  the  different  religious  societies  in  Lynn,  this  year,  was  as 
follows  :  First  Methodist,  622,.  St.  Mary's  (Roman  Catholic,) 
500.  First  Universalist,  429.  Boston  Street  Methodist,  322. 
St.  Paul's,  (Union  Street,)  Methodist,  300.  First  Congregational, 
283.  High  Street  Baptist,  225.  South  Street  Methodist,  213. 
Friends'  200.  First  Baptist,  190.  Second  Universalist,  190. 
Maple  Street  (Glenmere,)  Methodist,  183.  Central  Congrega- 
tional (Silsbee  Street,)  182,  Christian,  160.  Tower  Hill  Chapel, 
(Congregational,)  159.  St.  Stephen's,  (Episcopal,)  no.  Ches- 
nut  Street,  (Congregational,)  no.  City  Mission,  "jt,.  Unitarian, 
70.  Third  Baptist,  (Wyoma,)  70.  Second  Advent,  30.  These 
numbers  include  officers,  teachers  and  pupils. 

Richard  S.  Fay,  of  Lynn,  died  in  Liverpool,  England,  on  the 


20  ANNALS   OF   LYNN — 1 865. 

6th  of  July.  He  owned  and  for  a  number  of  years  occupied  the 
celebrated  Mineral  Spring  estate,  in  the  northeasterly  section 
of  the  city.  Being  a  gentleman  of  culture  and  large  means  he 
highly  enjoyed  life  in  his  romantic  retreat,  which  he  greatly 
improved  and  beautified.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  and 
for  some  years  practised  law.  In  agricultural  pursuits  he  took 
great  interest,  imported  improved  stock,  and  engaged  in  many 
useful  experiments.  He  was  affable  and  generous,  and  merited 
and  received  the  esteem  of  all  classes.  During  the  war  he  con- 
tributed largely  for  the  Union  cause.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
he  had  just  completed  a  European  tour,  and  was  expecting  to 
return  in  the  steamer  which  brought  the  news  of  his  death.  The 
death  stroke  fell  upon  him  while  passing  in  the  street. 

Edward  Franker,  well  known  as  the  proprietor  of  a  large  wool- 
en factory,  near  the  site  of  the  old  iron  works,  in  Saugus,  died, 
August  14,  at  the  age  of  73.  His  death  was  very  sudden,  he 
having  retired  for  his  accustomed  afternoon  nap,  and  being  found, 
a  few  hours  after,  in  his  room,  dead.  He  was  a  native  of  Wilt- 
shire, England,  and  came  to  this  country  while  quite  a  young 
man,  to  seek  his  fortune  ;  was  very  successful  in  his  enterprises, 
after  becoming  able  to  begin  business  on  his  own  account,  and 
accumulated  a  large  fortune. 

The  number  of  apple  trees  in  Lynn,  this  year,  was  17.400  and 
of  pear  trees,  21.900 ;  yet  the  aggregate  value  of  the  fruitage  did 
not  exceed  ^16.000. 

On  the  morning  of  August  31,  as  a  couple  of  gentlemen  were 
passing  from  Market  street  towards  Central  square,  they  discov- 
ered that  the  inner  clothing  of  a  lady  before  them  was  on  fire, 
and  informed  her  of  the  fact  in  time,  probably,  to  avoid  serious 
injury  to  her  person.  How  the  fire  was  occasioned  remained  a 
mystery. 

There  were  this  year  owned  in  Lynn,  720  horses,  the  average 
value  of  each  being  ^140. 

During  the  month  of  August,  the  shoe  business  of  Lynn 
exceeded  that  of  any  previous  month.  The  total  value  was 
^1.200.000;  and  the  internal  revenue  tax  for  the  month  was 
^77.099.62.  Business  was  very  active,  and  would  have  shown  a 
still  greater  increase  had  it  been  possible  to  procure  a  sufficiency 
of  material  and  workmen. 

Gen.  Alonzo  G.  Draper,  of  Lynn,  died  on  the  night  of  Sept.  3, 
at  Brazos  de  Santiago,  Texas,  at  which  post  he  had  been  in 
command.  He  was  shot  from  his  horse,  while  riding  out,  as  was 
supposed  by  a  stray  ball  from  a  great  distance,  no  battle  being 
in  progress  at  the  time,  and  lamented  by  his  brethren  in  arms  as 
a  brave  and  efficient  officer.  His  body  was  brought  to  Lynn, 
and  buried  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  on  the  27th,  with  becoming 
honors.     He  was  a  native  of  Brattleborough,  Vt. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  1 866.  21 

Very  destructive  fires  raged  in  the  woods  of  Lynn,  Lynnfield, 
and  Saugus,  during  September,  the  weather  being  unusually 
warm  and  dry.  The  woodlands  hereabout,  as  well  as  in  other 
parts  of  the  country,  have,  from  the  period  of  the  early  settle- 
ments, been  occasionally  swept  over  by  fire,  which  sometimes 
originated  in  the  most  unaccountable  manner.  In  early  colonial 
years  severe  laws  were  made  against  smoking  tobacco  in  the 
woods,  and  various  other  precautions  taken  ;  yet  the  fires  would 
occur.  Once  in  a  while,  it  is  possible,  lightning  may  have  been 
the  cause  of  the  mischief  But  recently  a  French  philosopher  has 
suggested  that  the  globules  of  pitch  which  exude  from  the  pines 
may  sometimes  act  as  burning  lenses  and  so  concentrate  the 
sun's  rays  that  they  will  produce  flame.  There  is  little  doubt, 
however,  that  in  these  days  the  careless  use  of  friction  matches 
is  the  cause  of  many  of  these  fires.  Very  few  are  aware  of  the 
rapidity  with  which  a  fire  once  lighted  in  the  dry  litter  of  a  pine 
forest  will  spread  and  get  beyond  control. 

An  extraordinary  drought  prevailed  this  year.  It  continued 
from  July  25  to  October  15  ;  and  had  not  been  equalled  for 
eighty-one  years,  as  meteorologists  claimed. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  City  Hall,  at  the  east  end  of  the 
Common  was  laid  on  Tuesday,  November  28,  in  presence  of  the 
Mayor,  a  committee  of  the  City  Council,  and  a  small  number 
of  other  spectators.  There  was  no  display.  A  proposition  had 
been  made  to  have  the  event  marked  by  grand  masonic  ceremo- 
nies, but  some  of  the  old  anti-masons  energetically  protesting, 
they  were  dispensed  with. 

The  number  of  deaths  in  the  city  during  the  year  was  477. 

1866 

On  the  morning  of  February  5,  Pranker's  brick  woolen  factory, 
in  Saugus,  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire.  The  town  having  no 
fire-engine,  the  flames  had  gained  almost  uncontrollable  head-way 
before  one  could  arrive  from  Lynn. 

Dr.  Abram  Gould,  the  oldest  practising  physician  in  Lynn, 
died,  February  27,  aged  58.  He  was  a  man  of  thorough  educa- 
tion and  much  more  than  ordinary  skill,  and  had  gained  an 
extensive  practice.  His  residence  was  on  Boston  street,  nearly 
opposite  Cottage. 

On  the  afternoon  of  June  25,  there  was  a  heavy  shower,  which 
flooded  the  streets  of  Lynn,  though  Nahant  and  even  Long  Beach 
escaped  the  visitation.  And  on  the  afternoon  of  the  30th  a 
copious  shower  took  place  in  the  eastern  section  of  the  city, 
while  in  the  western  there  was  scarcely  a  sprinkling. 

General  Sherman  passed  through  Lynn  on  the  morning  of 
July  16.  An  enthusiastic  crowd  rapidly  collected  in  Central 
square,  and  most  cordially  greeted  him.     Some  climbed  upon 


22  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 86/. 

the  cars  in  their  eagerness  to  grasp  the  hand  of  the  hero  of  the 
grand  march  through  the  very  bowels  of  the  rebelHous  Confed- 
eracy. His  stay,  however,  was  but  momentary.  The  day  was 
excessively  warm,  the  thermometer  in  the  course  of  the  forenoon 
reaching  to  lOO  degrees,  in  the  shade. 

A  rattlesnake,  measuring  four  feet  in  length,  and  having  ten 
rattles  —  thereby  showing  his  age  to  be  thirteen  years  —  was 
killed  in  Dungeon  pasture,  July  29.  The  reptile  attempted  to 
strike  his  assailant  before  being  despatched. 

James  R.  Newhall  succeeded  Thomas  B.  Newhall  as  Judge  of 
Lynn  Police  Court,  his  commission  bearing  date  August  24. 

The  Central  Church  edifice,  on  Silsbee  street,  was  entirely 
consumed  by  fire  early  on  Sunday  morning,  September  9.  No- 
thing of  value  was  saved.  It  was  of  wood,  built  in  1850,  and 
was  insured  to  the  amount  of  $15,000,  exclusive  of  $2,000  on  the 
organ  and  $500  on  the  pastor's  library.  The  structure  being  on 
elevated  land  and  the  spire  tall,  when  the  flames  enwrapped  the 
whole,  the  scene  was  very  striking. 

On  an  evening  in  September,  a  lady,  who  was  sitting  at  a 
window  in  a  house  on  Ocean  street,  observed  a  brilliant  meteor 
descend  and  strike  near  the  house.  She  immediately  went  to  the 
spot  and  discovered  the  strange  visitant  to  be  white  and  smelling 
strongly  of  sulphur.  On  being  examined  by  an  experienced  natu- 
ralist of  Boston  it  was  pronounced  to  be  a  genuine  aerolite. 

A  great  meteoric  shower  was  predicted  to  take  place  on  the 
night  of  November  12,  and  public  notice  was  given  that  the 
church  bells  would  be  rung  to  awake  the  sleepers,  if  the  celestial 
visitants  appeared.  But  nothing  unusual  was  observed  here 
during  that  night,  though  the  sky  was  very  clear.  In  some 
parts  of  the  world,  however,  especially  in  England,  a  brilliant 
display  occurred,  at  about  the  time  indicated.  At  Greenwich, 
some  12.000  meteors  were  seen  on  the  morning  of  the  14th.  At 
Washington,  on  the  same  day,  at  about  noon,  an  extraordinary 
exhibition  took  place.  In  this  vicinity,  at  about  the  time,  an 
unusual  number  of  "  shooting  stars  "  appeared. 

1867. 

A  terrific  snow  storm  occurred  on  the  17th  of  January.  No 
storm  within  twenty-five  years  bore  a  comparison  to  it  for  severity, 
with  the  exception  of  that  on  the  18th  of  January,  1857,  when 
the  terrible  shipwreck  of  the  Tedesco,  at  Swampscott,  took  place, 
at  which  time  the  cold  was  more  intense.  The  mail  carrier 
between  Lynn  and  Nahant,  for  ten  years,  failed  in  traversing 
his  route  only  on  the  occurrence  of  these  two  storms. 

There  was  an  exceedingly  high  tide  on  the  21st  of  January. 
It  was  higher  than  at  any  time  since  the  awful  night  of  April  15, 
185 1,  when  Minot's  Ledge  lighthouse  was  carried  away. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 86/.  2$ 

On  Sunday,  March  24th,  Rev.  Mr.  Woods  of  the  Boston 
Street  Methodist  Society,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Biddle,  of  the  First  Uni- 
versahst,  exchanged  pulpits.  The  leading  doctrines  taught  by 
these  two  divines  being  so  directl}'  opposite,  a  good  deal  of  sur- 
prise was  manifested,  and  not  a  little  feeling  on  the  part  of  some 
of  the  more  rigid  Methodists.  While  it  was  regarded  by  some 
as  a  commendable  instance  of  christian  courtesy,  by  others  it  was 
looked  upon  as  a  marked  instance  of  waning  denominational 
integrity. 

A  strange  reptile  was  killed  near  the  head  of  Sluice  pond,  in 
May.  It  was  something  more  than  four  feet  in  length,  and  in 
the  largest  part  nearly  as  thick  as  a  man's  wrist.  Its  back  was 
covered  with  a  horny  coat  resembling  that  of  a  crocodile,  the 
bone  making  a  perceptible  ridge. 

On  the  27th  of  May,  a  man,  in  digging  a  post  hole,  in  Summer 
street,  exhumed  some  human  bones,  which  were  in  such  a  posi- 
tion as  to  indicate  that  a  body  had  been  buried  there,  in  a  sitting 
posture.  An  arrow  head  and  one  or  two  implements  and  orna- 
ments were  found  with  the  bones,  leading  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  were  Indian  remains. 

The  new  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Baptist  Society,  a  neat 
structure  of  wood,  in  Gothic  style,  on  North  Common  street, 
corner  of  Park,  was  dedicated  June  20. 

A  beautiful  mirage  was  observed  from  Long  Beach,  about 
noon,  on  Sunday,  June  23. 

On  the  24th  of  June  —  St.  John's  Day —  30.000  persons  were 
carried  over  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  without  an  accident.  It  was 
the  day  of  the  great  masonic  celebration,  in  Boston,  when  the 
new  temple  was  dedicated. 

A  balloon  ascension  was  made  from  Lynn  Common  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  4.th  of  July.  The  descent  was  into  the  water 
off  Swampscott,  but  the  excursionists  escaped  injury. 

Sagamore  building.  Union  street,  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire 
on  the  night  of  July  13,  it  being  the  third  time  that  it  had  come 
near  being  consumed. 

Immense  quantities  of  mackerel  appeared  in  the  offing,  in 
July,  affording  rare  sport  for  amateur  fishermen  and  profitable  em- 
ployment for  professional.  A  whale,  some  fifty  feet  in  length, 
and  two  or  three  others  somewhat  smaller,  were  several  times 
seen  ranging  about,  evidently  bent  on  securing  their  share.  Sev- 
eral voracious  horse-mackerel,  with  keen  appetites,  also  made 
their  appearance. 

A  fire  occurred  in  Wyoma  village,  on  the  morning  of  August 
3d,  on  the  premises  occupied  by  T.  L.  Brown  and  Company,  for 
the  wool-pulling  business.  Property  to  the  value  of  ^18.000  was 
destroyed. 

A  swing-tail  shark,  fifteen  feet  in  length,  was  taken  off  Swamp- 


24  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 86/. 

scott,  in  a  net,  August  lo,  and  sold  to  Professor  Agassiz  for 
fifty  dollars. 

On  the  morning  of  Aug.  lo,  a  flock  of  flying-fish,  some  twenty 
in  number,  appeared  off  Nahant,  darting  about  and  eliciting  much 
observation,  such  visitors  being  very  uncommon  in  this  region  ; 
some  even  declaring  that  they  were  never  seen  here  before. 

A  sun-fish,  of  the  estimated  weight  of  two  hundred  pounds, 
was  observed  sunning  himself  near  Egg  Rock,  in  August. 

The  encampment  of  the  Second  Brigade  of  Massachusetts 
Volunteer  Militia,  commenced  at  Swampscott,  on  the  3d  of  Sept. 
and  continued  five  days. 

A  Second  Advent  Camp  Meeting,  so  called,  that  is  a  camp 
meeting  of  those  who  believed  that  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord 
would  surely  take  place  this  year,  commenced  in  Lynn,  Sept.  10, 
and  continued  a  week.  On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting  consid- 
erable excitement  prevailed,  as  some  of  the  more  sanguine  were 
confidently  expecting  that  before  another  day  the  Son  of  Man 
would  visibly  appear. 

Avis  Keene,  widow  of  Josiah  Keene,  died  in  Lynn,  Oct.  13, 
aged  87.  She  was  an  accepted  preacher  of  the  Friends'  society 
for  some  sixty  years  ;  was  a  graceful  and  influential  speaker,  and 
by  her  blameless  life,  amiable  disposition,  and  active  charities, 
endeared  herself  to  a  very  extensive  circle  of  those  who  did  not 
as  well  as  those  who  did  come  within  the  sphere  of  her  public 
ministrations. 

Richard  Gregg,  a  sober,  industrious  man,  aged  62,  was  killed 
on  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  near  the  Pleasant  street  crossing,  on 
the  evening  of  Oct.  17.  He  was  walking  towards  home,  on  the 
track,  and  was  struck  by  a  locomotive,  which  broke  his  skull  and 
caused  immediate  death. 

An  interval  of  beautiful  Indian  summer,  of  more  than  ordinary 
duration,  was  experienced  in  October. 

The  new  City  Hall,  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  Common  —  the 
site  being  at  the  time  about  the  centre  of  the  city,  both  geograph- 
ically and  as  regards  population  —  was  dedicated  on  Saturday, 
Nov.  30.  The  whole  day,  was  very  generally  spent  as  a  holiday. 
Crowds  were  in  the  streets,  and  about  the  building  from  morning 
till  near  midnight.  The  day  was  pleasant,  so  far  as  a  clear  sky 
and  sunlight  could  make  it  so,  but  otherwise  so  far  as  a  boister- 
ous northwest  wind  and  clouds  of  dust  could  make  it. 

The  tower  and  other  parts  of  the  building  were  decorated  with 
flags,  and  the  Lynn  band  was  in  attendance  to  dispense  their 
enlivening  music  at  suitable  intervals.  A  good  deal  of  care  was 
taken  to  have  as  large  a  number  of  the  elderly  men  present  as 
possible,  and  as  many  as  seventy,  whose  births  dated  back  to 
the  last  century,  were  gathered,  Epes  Mansfield,  born  in  1783, 
being  the  oldest. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 86/.  25 

A  little  before  noon,  the  exercises  commenced  in  the  vestibule, 
with  a  prayer  offered  by  Rev.  J.  W.  F.  Barnes,  of  the  First 
Methodist  Church.  Mayor  Roland  G.  Usher  then  delivered  an 
Address,  which  was  followed  by  a  Poem  by  Cyrus  M.  Tracy. 
The  Tablet,  facing  the  main  entrance,  was  then  unveiled.  Next 
came  a  brief  address,  retrospective  and  prospective,  by  James  R. 
Newhall,  which  closed  the  forenoon  exercises. 

A  liberal  collation  was  served  in  the  basement,  which  was 
partaken  of  by  a  multitude  of  citizens  and  many  visitors  from 
other  places.  Subsequently  a  number  of  prominent  citizens 
addressed  the  crowds  in  the  Council  Chamber  and  other  conve- 
nient parts  of  the  building.  Among  these  speakers  were  John 
B.  Alley,  James  N.  Buffum,  George  H.  Chase,  Charles  E.  Kim- 
ball, Peter  M.  Neal,  and  Thomas  B.  Newhall.  There  were  like- 
wise several  speakers  from  abroad. 

The  entertainment  was  continued  till  late  in  the  evening, 
the  large  company  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  young  and  old, 
promenading  whithersoever  they  would,  about  the  beautiful  apart- 
ments, and  enjoying  themselves  in  decorous  ways  of  their  own 
choice.  At  the  instance  of  the  Mayor,  about  ten  o'clock,  the 
whole  company  were  called  to  join  in  singing  "  America."  And 
after  that  the  majestic  strains  of  the  Doxology,  in  Old  Hundred, 
floated  upward.  This  closed  the  interesting  exercises.  As  this 
is  not  the  place  that  requires  any  thing  beyond  a  mere  state- 
ment of  facts,  it  would  perhaps  be  unwise  to  volunteer  censure 
even  if  there  were  points  that  might  justify  it,  or  to  offer  laudatory 
remarks  where  they  are  not  needed,  The  addresses  and  the 
poem  were  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day,  and  afterward 
in  a  neat  little  volume  ;  and  they  can  all  "testify  of  themselves." 
It  need  only  be  remarked  here  that  the  proceedings  throughout 
were  received  with  liberal  applause. 

The  cost  of  the  building,  in  round  numbers,  may  be  stated 
at  ;^3i2.ooo.  Some  claimed  that  it  was  an  unnecessarily  elegant 
and  costly  structure,  and  of  course,  after  the  usual  custom,  in- 
dulged in  a  little  harmless  grumbling.  But  it  was  soon  apparent 
that  its  superior  conveniences  would  save  expense  in  many  ways  ; 
and  that  it  was  giving  an  improving  tone  to  the  architecture 
of  the  city,  a  thing  that  had  been  long  and  sorely  needed.  Before 
a  year  had  passed,  there  were  few  who  did  not  take  a  real  pride 
in  pointing  to  it  as  the  great  lion  of  the  city,  or  who  entertained 
any  lingering  regrets  that  it  had  been  reared.  It  certainly  marks 
a  period  when  a  wonderful  advancement  in  the  architectural 
aspect  of  Lynn  commenced. 

The  first  number  of  the  Lynn  Transcript,  a  weekly  newspaper, 
established  by  Rufus  Kimball,  Thomas  P.  Nichols  and  Abel  G. 
Courtis,  appeared  on  Saturday,  Dec.  21,  from  the  office  on  the 
southwest  side  of  Market  street,  near  South  Common. 


26  ANNALS   OF   LYNN — 1 868. 

There  were  born  in  Lynn,  during  the  year,  664  children  — 
334  male  and  330  female  —  385  of  native  parentage,  and  279 
of  foreign.  December  was  the  most  prolific  month,  and  April 
the  least  —  TJ  being  born  in  the  former  and  35  in  the  latter. 

1868. 

On  the  evening  of  January  13,  a  meeting  of  naturalized  citizens 
was  held  in  a  hall  on  Washington  street,  preparatory  to  forming 
an  organization  to  promote  their  interests,  as  a  class,  and  for 
mutual  benefit.  It  seems  doubtful  whether  such  organizations, 
or  the  former  ones  aiming  to  place  the  administration  of  affairs 
solely  in  the  hands  of  natives,  are  really  productive  of  permanent 
good ;  that  is,  so  far  as  public  policy  is  concerned.  The  endea- 
vor to  effect  a  general  union  of  interests  and  to  avail  of  the  best 
talent,  of  whatever  derivation,  would  appear  to  give  the  highest 
promise.  Nevertheless,  there  are  many  cases  in  which,  other 
things  being  equal,  it  is  eminently  proper  to  give  preference  to 
natives.  There  has  long  been  complaint  that  the  people  of  Lynn 
are  too  much  disposed  to  place  new  comers  in  positions  of  trust 
and  authority.  Admitting  that  it  is  so,  it  must  be  said  that 
occasionally  at  least  the  good  fortune  of  the  party  is  aided  by 
ignorance  of  his  past  life. 

Nahant  this  year  numbered  95  polls,  and  had  a  valuation 
of  ;^i.054.37. 

On  the  night  of  March  3,  the  thermometer  stood  at  12  degrees 
below  zero.  On  the  7th,  the  harbor  was  so  frozen  that  loaded 
teams  could  pass  over  to  the  beach.  A  day  or  two  after,  however, 
the  ice  broke  up.  The  ice  harvest  of  1867-8  was  superior  to 
any  other  known  for  many  years,  both  in  quality  and  quantity. 

The  interesting  ceremony  of  strewing  flowers  on  the  graves 
of  the  fallen  heros  of  the  civil  war,  took  place  on  Saturday  after- 
noon, May  30,  under  the  auspices  of  the  local  Post  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  A  procession  visited  the  different  burial 
places,  and  at  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  where  a  large  concourse 
were  assembled,  appropriate  services  took  place,  with  music  and 
speaking.  Comrade  T.  C.  Vassar,  minister  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  delivered  an  appropriate  address.  The  ceremonies  were 
in  accordance  with  a  general  order  issued  at  Washington,  by 
General  Logan,  Commander-in-chief  of  the  association  ;  which 
order  is  here  introduced,  as  explaining  the  character  and  purpose 
of  the  observance : 

L  The  30th  day  of  May,  1868,  is  designated  for  the  purpose  of  strewing  with  flowers 
or  otherwise  decorating  the  graves  of  Comrades  who  died  in  defense  of  their  country 
during  the  late  rebellion,  and  whose  bodies  now  lie  in  almost  every  city,  village  and 
hamlet  churchyard  in  the  land.  In  this  observance  no  form  of  ceremony  is  prescribed, 
but  Posts  and  Comrades  will  in  their  own  way  arrange  such  fitting  services  and  testi- 
monials of  respect  as  circumstances  may  permit. 

We  are  organized,  Comrades,  as  our  Regulations  tell  us,  for  the  purpose,  among 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 868.  2/ 

other  things,  •  of  preserving  and  strengthening  those  kind  and  fraternal  feelings  which 
have  bound  together  the  soldiers,  sailors  and  marines  who  united  to  suppress  the 
late  rebellion.'  What  can  aid  more  to  assure  this  result  than  cherishing  tenderly 
the  memory  of  our  heroic  dead,  who  made  their  breasts  a  barricade  between  our 
country  and  its  foes  ?  Their  soldier  lives  were  the  reveille  of  freedom  to  a  race  in 
chains,  and  their  deaths  the  tattoo  of  rebellious  tyranny  in  arms.  We  should  guard 
their  graves  with  sacred  vigilance.  All  that  the  consecrated  wealth  and  taste  of  the 
nation  can  add  to  their  adornment  and  security,  is  but  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  her  slain  defenders.  Let  no  wanton  foot  tread  rudely  on  such  hallowed  grounds. 
Let  pleasant  paths  invite  the  coming  and  going  of  reverent  visitors  and  fond  mourn- 
ers. Let  no  vandalism  of  avarice  or  neglect,  no  ravages  of  time  testify  to  the  present 
or  to  the  coming  generations  that  we  have  forgotten  as  a  people  the  cost  of  a  free 
and  undivided  Republic. 

If  other  eyes  grow  dull,  and  other  hands  slack,  and  other  hearts  cold  in  the  solemn 
trust,  ours  shall  keep  it  well  as  long  as  the  light  and  warmth  of  life  remain  to  us. 

Let  us,  then,  at  the  time  appointed,  gather  around  their  sacred  remains  and  garland 
the  passionless  mounds  above  them,  with  the  choicest  flowers  of  spring  time ;  let  us 
raise  above  them  the  dear  old  flag  they  saved  from  dishonor  ;  let  us  in  this  solemn 
presence  renew  our  pledges  to  aid  and  assist  those  whom  they  have  left  among  us  as 
a  sacred  charge  upon  a  nation's  gratitude,  the  soldier's  and  sailor's  widow  and  orphan. 

IL  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  Commander-in-chief  to  inaugurate  this  observance  with 
the  hope  that  it  will  be  kept  up  from  year  to  year,  while  a  survivor  of  the  war  remains 
to  honor  the  memory  of  his  departed  Comrades.  He  earnestly  desires  the  public 
press  to  call  attention  to  this  Order,  and  lend  its  friendly  aid  in  bringing  it  to  the 
notice  of  Comrades  in  all  parts  of  the  country  in  time  for  simultaneous  compliance 
therewith. 

Such  was  the  origin  of  "  Memorial  Day "  —  or  "  Decoration 
Day,"  as  it  is  as  often  called  —  May  30.  And  the  custom,  so 
appropriate  and  so  interesting,  thus  suggested,  became  at  once 
established. 

The  brick  house  of  worship,  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Society,  on  Silsbee  street,  was  dedicated  on  Thursday  evening, 
June  II.  There  was  a  large  attendance  notwithstanding  the 
prevalence  of  a  severe  easterly  storm. 

Jonathan  Buffum  died  at  his  residence  in  Union  street,  June 
22,  aged  74  years.  He  was  a  native  of  Salem,  but  came  to  Lynn 
in  early  life.  For  many  years  he  was  active  in  town  affairs,  and 
held  responsible  offices  ;  was  a  painter  by  trade,  though  for  some 
years  engaged  in  shoe  manufacturing.  In  early  life  he  belonged 
to  the  Society  of  Friends,  but  seceded  from  the  faith  ;  indeed  he 
was  one  of  those  engaged  in  the  disturbance  at  their  house  of 
worship,  in  1822,  an  account  of  which  appears  in  these  Annals, 
under  the  proper  date.  During  the  prevalence  of  anti-masonry, 
he  was  one  of  the  most  zealous  and  conspicuous  in  the  party, 
and  owned  the  Lynn  Record,  which  was  the  party  organ.  He 
was  a  man  of  marked  character,  firm  in  conviction,  determined 
in  purpose,  and  of  unswerving  integrity.  He  was  an  early  and 
consistent  advocate  of  the  anti-slavery  cause,  of  temperance,  and 
of  moral  reforms  in  general.  He  also  gave  full  credence  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  spiritualists.  He  married  Hannah,  daughter 
of  James  Breed,  and  had  five  children. 

A  successful  ascension  was  made  from  the  Common,  on  the 
afternoon  of  July  4,  by  John  H.  Hall,  of  Lynn,  in  the  balloon 


28  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  868. 

"  City  of  Lynn,"  which  was  manufactured  by  Parker  Wells  of 
this  city. 

Out-door  religious  services  were  held  at  High  Rock  and  other 
public  places,  during  the  warm  season,  by  clergymen  of  different 
denominations. 

On  Tuesday,  Aug.  1 1,  the  Trenton  Hose  Company,  of  Trenton, 
N.  J.,  accompanied  by  a  Newark  band  of  music,  was  received  in 
Lynn,  by  the  Empire  Fire  Association,  the  whole  fire  department 
indeed  participating  in  the  proceedings  in  honor  of  the  visitors. 
An  extensive  procession  traversed  the  streets,  and  other  festivi- 
ties followed,  rendering  the  whole  a  very  enjoyable  occasion. 
The  visitors  remained  several  days,  and  were  entertained  in  the 
most  hospitable  manner,  being  conducted  over  some  of  the  largest 
manufactories,  and  to  places  of  interest  in  the  vicinity.  For 
some  years  the  fire  companies  of  different  places  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  interchanging  such  visits,  to  the  promotion  of  much 
brotherly  feeling,  thus  superseding,  almost  entirely,  the  old  mili- 
tary campaigning. 

A  farmer  in  Lynnfield  killed  thirteen  rattlesnakes  during  the 
summer  of  this  year. 

James  Purinton  died,  August  31,  aged  92  years.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  society  of  Friends,  and  had  worked  on  his  bench, 
as  a  shoemaker,  for  seventy-two  years. 

Mary  Phillips  died,  Sept  12,  aged  98  years,  being  the  oldest 
person  then  in  Lynn,  with  the  exception  of  Mary  J.  Hood,  a 
colored  woman,  aged  103.  Mrs.  Phillips  was  a  member  of  the 
society  of  Friends,  and  retained  her  faculties  in  a  remarkable 
degree,  her  clear  memory  embracing  a  history  of  the  eastern 
section  of  the  town  for  more  than  two  generations.  She  was  the 
widow,  for  many  years,  of  Jonathan  Phillips. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday,  Sept.  30,  the  granite  monu- 
ment erected  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery  to  the  memory  of  Rev. 
Parsons  Cooke,  late  minister  of  the  First  Congregational  Church, 
was  dedicated,  with  appropriate  services. 

Edward  O'Baldwin,  known  as  the  Irish  Giant,  and  Joseph 
Wormuld,  an  Englishman,  noted  prize-fighters,  were  arrested  by 
the  police,  just  as  they  had  commenced  a  battle,  in  Lynnfield,  on 
the  morning  of  Oct.  29.  A  crowd  of  those  who  delight  in  such 
demoralising  contests  had  assembled,  from  Boston  and  neighbor- 
ing places,  but  they  very  suddenly  dispersed,  in  dismay,  when 
the  police  appeared,  zealous  to  act  their  part.  O'Baldwin  and 
Wormuld  were  arraigned  before  the  police  court,  and  bound 
over  to  the  superior  court.  The  former  was  finally  sentenced 
to  the  house  of  correction  for  two  years  ;  but  the  latter  escaped, 
forfeiting  his  bail. 

Died,  in  his  lonely  residence,  at  Dungeon  Rock,  November  10 
Hiram  Marble,  aged  65.     He  was  widely  known  for  his  perse- 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  868.  29 

vering  labors  in  the  rock  just  named,  where  he  worked  some  seven- 
teen years,  and  died  without  a  reaHzation  of  his  ardent  hopes 
and  unwavering  expectation  of  exhuming  jewels  and  gold,  ac- 
cording to  the  promises  of  his  unseen  allurers.  He  remained  a 
spiritualist  to  the  last,  and  the  mediums  of  the  vicinity  were 
invited  to  be  present  at  the  funeral  services  which  were  held  at 
the  rock  on  the  forenoon  of  Wednesday,  November  ii.  He  was 
a  native  of  Charlton,  in  Worcester  county,  and  thither  his  re- 
mains were  conveyed  for  burial.  An  account  of  the  fruitless 
task  he  undertook  may  be  found  in  these  Annals,  under  date 
1658. 

Quite  a  rage  for  velocipede  riding  prevailed  here  and  indeed 
all  over  New  England  about  this  time.  Several  schools  for  in- 
struction were  opened,  and  convenient  structures  erected  for 
their  accommodation.  Many  young  men  became  quite  expert 
riders,  as  well  as  a  few  ladies.  But  the  difficulties  of  managing 
the  novel  contrivances  and  balancing  the  body  on  them,  was  a 
great  draw-back  to  their  use.  They  had  two  narrow  wheels,  and 
those  set  fore  and  aft,  with  the  little  padded  seat  between,  the 
crank  producing  the  forward  motion  being  turned  by  the  feet, 
while  the  steering  was  done  by  the  hands  ;  by  which  means 
both  hands  and  feet  had  constant  occupation.  It  was  literally 
working  one's  passage.  And  there  was  very  little  to  mark  the 
machine  as  an  improvement  upon  the  condemned  affair  of  gene- 
rations before.  There  was  a  velocipede  race  in  Boston,  July  5, 
1869,  at  which  George  W.  Buzzel,  of  Lynn,  took  the  second 
prize,  of  ^20.  He  rode  a  mile  in  two  seconds  short  of  five  minutes. 
Horses  were  liable  to  be  frightened  by  them,  and  they  soon  went 
out  of  fashion.  After  a  few  years,  however,  a  kindred  contri- 
vance, the  bicycle,  came  into  use,  among  young  men  especially. 
This  had  one  large  wheel,  and  a  diminutive  one  to  steer  by,  and 
required  somewhat  less  skill  and  labor  in  the  management. 

On  the  night  of  Christmas  day,  the  most  disastrous  fire  that 
had  ever  occurred  in  Lynn,  took  place.  It  commenced  in  Ly- 
ceum building,  on  Market  street,  corner  of  Summer,  entirely 
destroying  that,  and  then  leaping  across  Summer  street,  it  de- 
stroyed the  fine  large  new  brick  blocks  belonging  to  Lyman  B. 
Frazier  and  Samuel  M.  Bubier,  and  damaged  other  less  valuable 
structures.  The  Central  National  Bank  was  in  Lyceum  building, 
but  the  vault  withstood  the  flames.  The  Post-ofiice  was  in  Fra- 
zier's  block,  but  every  thing  of  value  there,  was  saved.  Some 
of  the  occupants  of  the  buildings  lost  heavily,  notwithstanding 
large  insurances.  Lyceum  building  was  erected  in  1 841,  at 
a  cost  of  about  ^10.000.  Frazier's  block  cost  some  ;^6o.ooo, 
and  Bubier's  about  ^65.000.  The  whole  loss  by  the  fire  was 
reckoned  at  not  less  than  ^300.000.  The  destruction  of  these 
fine  structures  was  much  lamented  by  the  people  generally  ;  but 


30 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN  —  I  869. 


they  were  soon  replaced  by  others  still  more  valuable.  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall,  three  years  after,  occupied  the  site  on  which 
Lyceum  Hall  or  Lyceum  Building,  as  it  was  indiscriminately 
called,  stood.  This  last  named  was  a  wooden  structure  and  not 
very  comely  in  its  proportions.  It  was,  however,  for  years,  much 
in  use  for  lectures,  shows,  and  meetings  of  all  kinds,  being  cen- 
trally situated  and  almost  the  only  eligible  place  in  town  for  such 
purposes.  The  light  of  this  conflagration  was  distinctly  seen  in 
Gloucester  and  Lawrence. 


Lyceum  Building,  Lynn, 
Erected  in  1841  — destroyed  by  fire,  in  1868. 


1869. 

Mary  J.  Hood,  a  colored  woman,  died  at  her  residence,  near 
Floating  bridge,  January  8,  at  the  great  age  of  104  years  and  7 
months,  as  appeared  by  well  authenticated  records. 

On  Monday  night,  Jan.  25,  another  destructive  fire  took  place 
in  Lynn,  destroying  property  to  the  amount  of  some  $170,000. 
It  commenced  in  the  large  brick  shoe  manufactory  of  Edwin  H. 
Johnson,  in  Munroe  street,  destroying  that  and  the  manufactory 
of  Harrison  Newhall,  and  other  adjacent  buildings,  and  greatly 
damaging  several  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  shoe  manufactory  of  Rufus  A.  Johnson,  near  the  East 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 869.  3  I 

Saugus  rail-road  depot  was  burned  on  the  morning  of  Feb.  20, 
with  a  considerable  amount  of  stock. 

Died,  in  Newton,  Mass.,  Feb.  25,  Dr.  Edward  A.  Kittredge,  a 
native  of  Salem,  aged  58.  He  was  for  many  years  a  practising 
physician  in  Lynn  ;  was  of  a  genial  and  kind  disposition,  but 
rather  eccentric  manners.  He  was  a  frequent  contributor  to 
the  newspapers,  and  his  articles  were  always  readable  from  their 
conspicuous  humor  and  under-current  of  good  sense.  His  edu- 
cation was  good,  and  though  trained  in  the  old  allopathic  system, 
he  finally  adopted  the  hydropathic,  or  water-cure,  system,  having 
visited  some  of  the  water-cure  establishments  in  Europe  to  study 
the  theory.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Lynn  and  interred  in 
the  Eastern  Burying  Ground,  after  appropriate  services  at  the 
First  Universalist  church. 

From  the  13th  to  the  17th  of  March,  it  was  very  cold.  Only 
three  days  before  St.  Patrick's  the  thermometer  reached  10  de- 
grees below  zero. 

There  was  a  magnificent  display  of  beautifully  tinted  aurora 
borealis  on  the  evening  of  April  15,  during  which  a  meteor  of  great 
brilliancy  shot  across  the  eastern  sky. 

The  number  of  children  in  Lynn,  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
fifteen  years,  on  the  first  of  May,  was  5.674. 

The  North  Congregational  Church  was  formed  in  the  spring 
of  this  year,  chiefly  by  members  withdrawing  from  the  First 
Church.  The  organization  was  recognized  by  a  council  held 
May  6. 

May  10  was  the  day  on  which  the  last  spike  was  driven,  in 
completion  of  the  first  continuous  rail-road  line  connecting  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific.  It  was  an  eventful  occasion,  far  away  there 
in  the  Rocky  Mountain  shadows,  and  drew  together  many  prom- 
inent persons  from  different  parts  of  the  country.  The  spike 
was  of  solid  gold,  and  what  renders  the  occurrence  of  interest  to 
people  here  is  the  fact  that  it  was  driven  by  David  Hewes,  a 
native  of  Lynnfield,  and  a  contractor  on  the  road.  It  was,  how- 
ever, soon  withdrawn  and  deposited  in  a  museum  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, under  the  apprehension  that  if  allowed  to  remain  some 
straying  traveller,  curious  or  covetous,  might  appropriate  it. 

Memorial  Day  was  celebrated  on  Saturday,  May  29.  The 
principal  address  was  delivered  by  Dr.  Bowman  B.  Breed  ;  but 
Mayor  Buftum  made  some  appropriate  remarks. 

The  famous  Peace  Jubilee  commenced  in  Boston,  June  15.  It 
was  the  greatest  musical  entertainment  that  had  ever  been  held 
in  this  country,  the  chorus  singers  alone  numbering  10.528.  It 
was  attended  by  lovers  of  music  from  all  parts  of  the  Union, 
and  from  foreign  countries.  The  average  number  of  persons 
carried  daily  through  and  from  Lynn,  by  the  Eastern  Rail-road, 
during  the  week,  was  about   i  L300,  and  the  receipts  from  the 


32  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 869. 

sale  of  tickets  to  the  various  concerts,  amounted  to  ^300.000. 
Lynn  furnished  her  quota  of  performers  in  the  association  known 
as  the  Chorus  Class,  which,  under  the  name  of  Choral  Union, 
was  continued,  much  to  the  benefit  of  musical  education  among 
us.  And  the  whole  affair  gave  a  sensible  impetus  to  musical 
interests  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 

Benjamin  H.  Jacobs,  for  more  than  thirty  years  undertaker 
for  the  Old  Burying  Ground,  near  the  western  end  of  the  Com- 
mon, died  June  16,  aged  y6.  He  was  a  native  of  Littleton,  Mass., 
was  faithful  in  his  office,  and  took  great  pains  to  keep  the  vene- 
rable resting  place  in  order  and  give  it  a  pleasant  aspect.  And 
there  his  own  remains  were  deposited.  His  son  Edwin  S.,  who 
long  acted  as  his  assistant,  died  on  the  27th  of  the  same  month, 
aged  45.  _ 

The  picturesque  cruciform  Episcopal  church  at  Nahant,  built 
in  1868,  was  consecrated  June  27. 

The  public  drain  through  Shepard  street  was  constructed  this 
year,  in  compliance  with  the  strongly  expressed  desire  of  many 
residents  of  the  vicinity.  But  it  dried  up  so  many  wells  in  the 
neighborhood  that  some  began  to  question  its  utility.  The  little 
pond  on  the  Common,  likewise,  met  the  fate  of  the  wells.  But 
notwithstanding  the  temporary  inconvenience,  there  is  no  doubt 
of  the  value  of  such  works.  Lynn  had  for  many  years  felt  the 
necessity  of  a  system  of  drainage,  which  was  at  about  this  time 
energetically  commenced.  Other  localities  soon  went  through 
experience  similar  to  that  of  Shepard  street. 

A  caricature  celebration  of  independence  took  place  this  year 
under  the  auspices  of  the  "  Antiques  and  Horribles,"  with  dis- 
cordant music  by  the  "  Old  Canaan  Band."  Some  parts  of  the 
procession  were  rather  picturesque  and  some  of  the  hits  good. 

Jeremiah  C.  Stickney  died,  August  3,  aged  64.  He  was  a 
native  of  Rowley,  Mass.,  graduated  at  Harvard,  with  the  1824 
class,  immediately  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  law,  with  Judge 
Cummins,  of  Salem,  and  in  1827  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He 
soon  settled  in  Lynn,  and  was  presently  in  active  and  successful 
practice,  in  which  he  continued  for  forty  years.  He  was  post- 
master from  1829  to  1839,  ^^^^  again  from  1853  to  1858;  but 
having  little  ambition  for  office  he  was  less  in  public  life  than 
was  desirable  for  one  of  his  ability.  He  declined  the  office 
of  United  States  District  Attorney  for  Massachusetts,  when 
offered  him,  during  the  administration  of  Gen.  Jackson.  He 
however  served  in  the  lower  house  of  the  Massachusetts  Legis- 
lature in  1839  and  '40.  When  the  city  form  of  government  was 
adopted,  in  1850,  his  legal  advice  and  assistance  proved  of  great 
value  ;  and  when  in  1853  the  office  of  City  Solicitor  was  estab- 
lished, he  was  promptly  elected  to  fill  the  position.     It  was  the 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 869.  33 

privilege  of  the  writer  to  be  for  some  time  associated  with  him 
in  professional  partnership,  and  he  would  not  pass  silently  by 
this  opportunity  to  remark  that  he  can  hardly  speak  in  too  high 
terms  of  his  constant  affability  and  gentlemanly  traits,  or  of  his 
reputation  for  legal  attainments.  He  was  endowed  in  a .  large 
degree  with  that  invaluable  power  which  few  really  possess, 
though  many  claim  —  the  power  to  discern  the  real  sentiments 
and  motives  that  so  often  underlie  the  professed  —  a  power  which 
is  sure  to  raise  the  lawyer  above  the  common  ranks.  He  was 
not  a  man  to  blindly  follow  the  dictation  or  direction  of  any 
client  when  he  saw  that  envy,  hatred,  or  malice  gave  coloring  to 
his  story.  In  his  investigations  he  was  thorough,  to  the  court 
always  respectful,  and  to  his  professional  brethren  courteous. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Stickney  commenced  practice,  the  two  other 
lawyers  here  were  men  of  mark  if  not  eminence — Robert  W. 
Trevett  and  Isaac  Gates.  They  were  both  graduates  of  Harvard 
and  well  read  in  the  law.  A  brief  notice  of  Mr.  Trevett  appears 
on  pages  409  and  '10  and  of  Mr.  Gates  on  pages  435  and  '6  of  the 
1865  vol.  By  reference  to  those  notices  the  reader  will  gain  some 
knowledge  of  the  antagonists  with  whom  Mr.  Stickney  had  to 
cope  in  his  early  professional  days.  But  they  and  he  knew  well 
what  was  becoming  to  the  character  of  gentlemen.  It  was, 
according  to  Mr.  Rogers,  a  great  consolation  to  Mr.  Trevett, 
when  "  in  poverty  and  distress,"  to  be  able  to  say,  "  No  matter 
what  I  am  now  ;  I  take  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  in  reflecting 
that  I  was  once  the  principal  lawyer  in  Lynn  ;"  —  thus  giving  a 
sort  of  reverse  turn  to  the  Shakespearean  "  All  's  well  that  ends 
well." 

For  many  years  Mr.  Stickney  owned  and  resided  on  the  beau- 
tiful estate  known  as  Forest  Place,  which  under  his  hand  was  in 
a  great  measure  transformed  from  a  mere  rough  pine-clad  hill 
into  one  of  the  most  tasteful  and  picturesque  places  within  a 
score  of  miles. 

On  Christmas  day,  1829,  Mr.  Stickney  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  Frazier,  daughter  of  John  Frazier,  of  Philadelphia, 
Three  children  were  born  to  them  ;  namely,  Charles  Henry, 
born  Sept.  29,  1830,  John  Bufifinton,  born  May  25,  1832,  and 
Martha  Anne,  born  September  5,  1834.  The  two  sons  entered 
the  legal  profession.  John  B.  removed  to  Florida,  where  he  for 
some  time  filled  the  office  of  United  States  Marshal.  Martha 
Anne,  in  1868  became  the  wife  of  Capt.  Stephen  H.  Andrews, 
of  Lawrence,  Kansas,  and  removed  thither. 

A  very  severe  gale  took  place  on  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday, 
Sept.  8.  Nothing  like  it  had  been  felt  since  the  historically 
famous  gale  of  September  23,  1815,  and  many  old  people  thought 
it  exceeded  that  in  violence,  as  it  certainly  did  in  the  damage 

3 


34  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 869. 

done.  The  morning  was  still  and  sultry.  About  ten,  a  breeze 
sprang  up  from  the  southwest,  whence  it  continued  to  blow  with 
some  vigor,  and  with  dashes  of  rain,  till  about  three  in  the  after- 
noon, when  it  suddenly  veered  to  the  southeast  and  continued  to 
blow  with  increasing  violence,  till  about  half  past  six  when  it  had 
attained  the  character  of  a  perfect  hurricane,  with  torrents  of  rain. 
Chimnies  fell  in  all  quarters,  and  several  buildings  were  levelled. 
But  the  most  visible  destruction  was  among  the  trees.  Multi- 
tudes were  uprooted  —  some  of  the  largest  along  the  streets  ;  and 
few  escaped  dismemberment.  Until  the  authorities  had  time,  on 
tlie  next  day,  to  remove  the  fallen  ones,  some  of  the  sidewalks, 
particularly  that  of  North  Common  street,  were  dangerously  ob- 
structed. Several  houses  were  much  damaged  by  the  falling  of 
the  trees  against  them.  During  the  height  of  the  tempest,  the 
tall  spire  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  yielded  to  the  blast  and 
fell  crashing  through  the  roof,  demolishing  also  the  westerly  side 
of  the  edifice.  A  new  two-story  house  in  Essex  street  was  raised 
from  the  underpinning  and  completely  prostrated.  The  extensive 
green-house  and  conservatory  of  the  Marquis  de  Lousada,  near 
King's  Beach,  was  almost  totally  destroyed.  No  less  than  four 
hundred  and  thirty  shade  trees,  in  different  parts  of  Lynn,  were 
prostrated,  and  very  few  of  those  that  withstood  the  gale  escaped 
unharmed.  In  the  woods,  the  fallen  trunks  were  beyond  num- 
bering. And  the  fruit  trees  were  almost  stripped  of  their  unripe 
fruit.  Great  havoc  was  made  among  the  yachts  and  other  small 
shipping  at  Swampscott,  but  there  was  remarkable  freedom  from 
loss  of  life  or  personal  injury. 

A  field  meeting  of  the  Essex  Institute  was  held  here  Sept.  23. 
The  day  was  pleasant,  most  places  of  interest  were  visited,  and 
numerous  specimens  in  different  departments  of  natural  history 
collected. 

A  blue  heron,  a  very  rare  bird  in  this  region,  was  shot  in 
Swampscott  woods,  Sept.  29.  Its  height,  when  standing  upright, 
was  nearly  four  feet,  and  its  spread  wings  measured  some  five 
feet  from  tip  to  tip. 

There  was  a  fearful  explosion  of  a  part  of  the  steam  apparatus 
at  a  building  in  Spring  street,  on  the  morning  of  Oct.  1 1.  Capt. 
Robert  H.  Reeves,  of  Salem,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  room, 
and  a  young  man  named  Frank  Alley,  lost  their  lives. 

A  very  perceptible  shock  of  an  earthquake  was  felt  at  about 
half  past  five  on  the  morning  of  Oct.  22.  Beds  oscillated  with 
sufficient  violence  to  awake  sleepers. 

An  association  under  the  name  of  The  Lynn  Board  of  Trade 
was  formed  in  the  fall  of  this  year.  It  soon  numbered  a  hundred 
of  the  most  prominent  business  men,  and  its  beneficial  influence 
was  felt  particularly  in  the  interests  of  shoe  manufacturing. 

The   brick   grammar   school   houses  on   Ireson  and  Warren 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  187O.  35 

Streets  were  built  this  year  ;  the  former  for  the  Whiting  school, 
so  named  in  memory  of  Rev.  Samuel  Whiting,  settled  over  the 
First  Church,  from  1636  to  1680,  and  the  latter  for  the  Shepard 
school,  so  named  from  Rev.  Jeremiah  Shepard,  minister  of  the 
same  church,  from  1680  to  1720.  The  Whiting  was  dedicated 
Sept.  4,  and  the  Shepard  Dec.  15. 

The  Turnpike  through  Lynn,  from  Salem  to  Chelsea  bridge, 
became  a  public  highway,  this  year,  by  legislative  enactment. 
It  was  opened  in  1803,  and  until  the  building  of  the  Eastern 
Rail-road,  in  1838,  was  the  avenue  by  which  the  great  bulk 
of  Lynn  travel  reached  Boston.  The  stock  paid  large  dividends, 
for  many  years. 

On  the  8th  of  December  water  from  the  Flax  Pond,  to  be  used 
in  cases  of  fire,  was  let  into  the  pipes  that  connected  with  the 
hydrants  in  various  parts  of  the  city.     See  page  39. 

The  new  Town  Hall,  at  Nahant,  was  dedicated  Dec.  24. 

There  were  forty  fires  in  Lynn,  this  year  ;  most  of  them  slight. 
Eleven  were  in  Munroe  street,  leading  some  to  fear  that  that  was 
a  doomed  locality. 

To  show  the  extent  of  the  use  of  illuminating  gas  in  Lynn,  it 
may  be  stated  that  the  gas  company  during  the  year  manufac- 
tured something  over  3.000.000  feet. 

An  act  more  stringent  than  any  that  had  before  existed,  for 
the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  was  this  year  passed  by 
the  Massachusetts  legislature,  and  the  many  prosecutions  under 
it,  in  Lynn,  had  a  manifestly  salutary  effect. 

18  70. 

The  winter  of  1869-70  was  unusually  mild,  so  much  so  that  a 
good  deal  of  out-door  work,  such  as  plowing,  digging  of  gardens 
and  setting  of  fences,  was  done.  February  and  March,  however, 
did  something  to  redeem  the  character  for  violence.  There  was 
a  severe  snow  storm  as  late  as  March  13,  when  about  a  foot  fell. 
The  ice-cutters  reaped  but  a  scanty  harvest,  and  the  price  became 
high  in  the  succeeding  summer.  Our  ponds  had  now  for  so 
many  years  continued  to  furnish  a  supply,  that  the  article  had 
come  to  be  regarded  rather  as  a  necessity  than  a  luxury,  and  the 
partial  failure  was  seriously  felt. 

The  City  Hotel,  at  one  time  called  Columbian  House,  a  large 
wooden  structure  on  Western  avenue,  near  the  Summer  street 
crossing,  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  morning  of  Monday,  Jan. 
3.  It  had  for  many  years  been  kept  as  a  public  house,  though 
not  of  the  first  class. 

A  remarkably  beautiful  display  of  aurora  borealis  took  place 
early  on  the  morning  of  Jan.  3.  Shafts  of  red,  white,  and  purple 
shot  upward  till  the  whole  heavens  were  nearly  covered.  And 
waves  of  light  rolled  up  occasionally  from  the  north,  as  if  from 


36  ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  I87O. 

a  radiant  fountain  below  the  horizon.  On  the  afternoon  of  the 
following  Thursday,  there  was  the  unusual  appearance  of  two 
sun-dogs,  and  a  circular  rainbow.  Another  extraordinary  auroral 
display  took  place  in  August,  when  emerald  green  was  added  to 
the  other  colors.  And  on  still  another  night  a  well-defined  red 
arch  extended  across  the  heavens,  from  southeast  to  northwest. 
About  the  middle  of  January,  the  planet  Venus  could  for  several 
days  be  distinctly  seen,  at  noon,  by  the  naked  eye. 

A  small  piece  of  land  near  the  Central  depot  was  sold  in  the 
early  part  of  this  year  for  five  dollars  the  square  foot.  This  was 
in  the  most  valuable  locality,  and  the  highest  price  land  had  sold 
for  in  Lynn,  up  to  that  time. 

A  little  son  of  Thomas  Saxton,  on  the  5  th  of  February,  while 
playing  around  a  stove,  sportively  inhaled  the  steam  from  the 
nozzle  of  a  kettle  of  boiling  water,  and  died  the  next  morning 
from  the  effects. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  was  incorporated 
March  31,  though  it  was  formed  in  August,  1868.  Its  object 
was  to  promote  among  young  men,  piety  and  the  christian  virtues, 
as  well  as  social  and  mental  improvement.  Devotional  meetings 
were  frequently  held,  visiting  and  missionary  work  performed, 
temperance  and  other  lectures  delivered,  and  assistance  rendered 
to  strangers  and  others,  in  procuring  employment  and  suitable 
homes.  Rooms  were  furnished  with  books  and  periodicals,  and 
for  the  holding  of  meetings,  social  intercourse  and  rational  amuse- 
ment. The  quarters  were  made  attractive  and  every  one  was 
welcome.  Similar  associations  were  formed  in  most  of  the  large 
places  throughout  New  England,  always  with  highly  beneficial 
results. 

About  midnight,  on  Sunday,  April  3,  the  Fred  Bliss,  a  brig 
of  338  tons,  was  wrecked  on  the  Swampscott  shore,  near  the 
old  Ocean  House  estate,  a  few  rods  from  where  the  unfortunate 
Tedesco  met  her  fate,  in  1857,  when  all  on  board  perished.  The 
crew  of  the  Fred  Bliss  were  in  much  danger,  but  all  were  saved. 
The  wreck  continued  for  days  to  attract  numerous  visitors.  A 
touching  instance  of  animal  sympathy  is  said  to  have  taken  place 
on  the  occasion  of  this  disaster.  A  dog,  and  a  cat  with  two 
kittens,  were  on  board.  By  some  mishap  the  cat  and  one  of  the 
kittens  were  killed.  The  dog,  seeing  the  other  kitten  neglected, 
seized  it  and  swam  ashore,  holding  it  up  carefully  in  his  mouth. 
On  reaching  the  shore  he  dug  a  nestling  place  in  the  sand  and 
kept  vigilant  watch  over  it  till  some  one  took  it  in  charge. 

A  delegation  of  about  seventy-five  of  the  colored  citizens  of 
Lynn  attended  the  celebration  of  the  ratification  of  the  Fifteenth 
Amendment  of  the  U.  S.  Constitution,  in  Boston,  on  the  14th 
of  April.  They  were  in  citizens'  dress,  but  wore  badges  and 
were  accompanied  by  the  Lynn  Band. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 187O.  37 

The  Exchange  Insurance  Company,  of  Lynn,  was  organized 
April  23.  It  was  afterwards  removed  to  Boston,  though  still 
controlled  by  gentlemen  of  this  city,  and  was  ruined  by  the  great 
fire  of  Nov.  9,  1872. 

May  30,  the  Soldiers'  Memorial  Day,  was  duly  observed.  The 
address  was  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Currier,  of  the  Silsbee  street  church. 

The  first  regatta  of  the  Lynn  Yacht  Club  —  an  association 
recently  formed  by  young  men  fond  of  the  healthful  exercises 
indicated  by  the  name  —  took  place  June  17.  The  wind  and 
weather  were  not  very  favorable,  but  the  animating  contest  drew 
together  a  goodly  number  of  spectators.  On  the  4th  of  July 
another  regatta  took  place,  and  the  weather  being  propitious  it 
passed  off  very  satisfactorily. 

John  E.  Gowan,  having  returned  to  Lynn  from  his  successful 
undertaking  in  raising  the  ships  sunk  in  the  harbor  of  Sebastopol, 
during  the  Crimean  war,  presented  to  the  Light  Infantry  a  Rus- 
sian twelve-pound  brass  field-piece  which  he  brought  with  him 
as  a  remembrancer  of  his  arduous  labors. 

The  publishers  and  printers  of  Lynn  this  year  formed  an  asso- 
ciation for  social  and  fraternal  purposes.  An  annual  fishing  trip 
down  the  bay,  in  summer,  and  perhaps  a  general  meeting  and 
modest  banquet  in  the  winter,  served  to  keep  alive  the  good 
feelings  of  the  craft. 

A  general  meeting  of  the  qualified  voters  of  Lynn  was  held  in 
the  vestibule  of  the  City  Hall,  on  the  afternoon  of  Thursday, 
Sept.  I,  being  the  first  meeting  ever  called  in  accordance  with 
the  section  of  the  City  Charter  which  provides  that  on  the  requi- 
sition of  fifty  qualified  voters,  such  meetings  shall  be  warned  by 
the  mayor  and  aldermen,  "  to  consult  on  the  public  good."  The 
meeting  had  special  reference  to  the  laying  out  of  Central  avenue, 
which  some  prominent  parties  deemed  uncalled  for  by  any  public 
exigency  or  interest.  The  City  Council  had  ordered  the  laying 
out,  and  this  meeting  was  called  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  such 
an  expression  of  public  opinion  as  would  induce  a  reversal  of  the 
order.  The  meeting  was  large,  and  several  prominent  men  took 
part  in  a  warm  discussion,  which  diverged  to  other  questions 
of  public  concernment.  A  decided  majority  appeared  against 
the  measure,  and  strong  resolutions  were  passed  accordingly. 
But  the  government,  having  thoroughly  examined  the  matter, 
were  not  led  to  reconsider  their  resolution. 

The  Park,  at  the  east  end  of  the  Common,  which  had  heretofore 
been  so  low  as  to  be  occasionally  incommoded  by  standing  water, 
was  this  year  raised  in  grade  some  fifteen  inches,  over  its  entire 
surface. 

The  severest  shock  of  an  earthquake  felt  for  many  years,  in 
this  region,  took  place  in  the  forenoon  of  Thursday,  Oct.  20.  In 
several  instances  persons  in  different  parts  of  the  city  were  so 


38  ANNALS    OF    LYNN iS/O. 

alarmed  by  the  swaying  of  the  buildings  that  they  rushed  into 
the  streets.  This  was  the  case,  especially,  at  the  large  brick 
factory  at  the  corner  of  Western  avenue  and  Federal  street.  No 
serious  damage,  however,  was  done. 

The  brick  market  house,  on  Central  avenue,  was  opened  for 
the  first  time  for  the  sale  of  commodities,  on  Saturday,  Nov.  19. 
In  the  evening,  a  large  crowd  gathered. 

At  the  municipal  election  held  Dec.  12,  six  ladies  were  elected 
members  of  the  school  committee,  this  being  the  first  instance 
of  the  election  of  ladies  to  public  office  in  Lynn. 

Music  Hall,  on  Central  avenue,  was  first  occupied  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  Dec.  22.  A  fair,  by  the  High  street  Baptist  society, 
was  then  held  there. 

Early  in  the  evening  of  Sunday,  Christmas  day,  the  large 
wooden  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Church,  on  South  Common 
street,  corner  of  Vine,  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  The  after- 
noon service  had  closed  but  a  short  time  before  the  fire  broke 
out,  and  so  rapidly  did  the  flames  progress,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  arrest  them.  The  illumination  was  striking,  and  seen  as  far 
inland  as  Lawrence.  Portions  of  the  fixtures  and  furniture  were 
saved.  The  house  was  erected  in  1836,  but  could  not  lay  claim 
to  great  architectural  beauty.  The  interior,  however,  had  within 
a  few  months  been  much  improved,  by  repairs  and  embellish- 
ments. The  fire  commenced  in  the  eastern  wall,  no  doubt  from 
a  defect  in  the  heating  apparatus.  From  the  same  cause  it  had 
taken  fire  during  service,  on  Sunday,  Oct.  6,  1867,  when  timely 
discovery  prevented  serious  damage.  There  was  an  immediate 
offer  to  the  bereaved  society,  by  several  of  the  neighboring 
churches,  of  the  use  of  their  houses  of  worship,  and  much  chris- 
tian sympathy  was  expressed. 

Gold  Fish  Pond,  on  Fayette  street,  near  Lewis,  was  this  year 
greatly  improved  ;  in  fact  changed  from  a  weedy,  bushy  sort 
of  shallow  lakelet,  uncomely  to  the  eye,  though  to  some  extent 
useful  for  the  watering  of  cattle,  to  one  of  the  chief  ornaments 
of  that  quarter  of  the  city.  It  was  formerly  known  by  the  local 
name  of  "  The  Swamp  ; "  and  was  likewise  called  "  Ingalls's 
Pond,"  from  the  circumstance  that  near  it  Edmund  Ingalls,  one 
of  the  first  settlers,  established  himself  in  the  year  1629.  About 
1840  it  began  to  be  called  Gold  Fish  Pond,  the  name  originating 
in  the  fact  that  there  had  then  appeared  in  it  numerous  gold  fish. 
And  these  were  supposed  to  have  been  the  offspring  of  five  of  the 
species  which  some  boys  procured  and  let  loose  there,  in  1837. 
They  became  so  abundant,  in  a  few  years,  that  the  youth  of  the 
neighborhood  gained  many  a  shilling,  every  season,  by  catching 
and  peddling  them  about  town.  The  cost  of  the  improvements 
of  this  year,  which  gave  the  little  pond  so  picturesque  an  aspect, 
was  about  ;^3.700. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  187O.  39 

The  number  of  arrivals  at  the  port  of  Lynn,  this  year,  was 
704;  and  among  the  imports  were  18.872.961  feet  of  lumber, 
44.205  tons  of  coal,  2.509  cords  of  wood,  65LOOO  bricks,  161.511 
bushels  of  grain,  and  2.460  bushels  of  potatoes. 

The  shoe  business  of  Lynn,  for  1870,  seemed,  on  the  whole,  to 
have  been  quite  satisfactory.  The  number  of  pairs  manufactured 
was  about  10.600.000,  their  value  being  some  1^17.000.000,  many 
being  of  superior  quality.  It  should  be  remarked  that  shoes 
vary  in  kind,  quality,  and  price,  from  year  to  year,  a  circumstance 
sufficient  to  account  for  apparent  inconsistencies  in  estimates. 

The  population  of  the  city  having  become  so  large,  it  had  for 
several  years  been  manifest  that  means  for  a  supply  of  water  for 
domestic,  mechanical,  and  fire  purposes,  beyond  the  primitive 
resource  of  wells,  must  speedily  be  devised.  The  great  fires 
in  the  winter  of  1868-9  spurred  to  immediate  action.  Capacious 
reservoirs,  had,  indeed,  been  constructed  in  different  sections,  at 
considerable  expense  ;  but  they  were  far  from  being  inexhaust- 
ible. After  a  good  deal  of  discussion  in  the  city  council,  and 
out,  an  arrangement  was  effected  whereby  water  for  fire  purposes 
was  to  be  taken  from  Flax  Pond.  Pipes  were  accordingly  laid 
along  some  of  the  principal  streets,  and  the  water  was  first  set 
flowing,  on  the  afternoon  of  Dec.  8,  1869;  that  being  the  first 
time  the  city  received  a  supply  from  any  source,  by  aqueduct,  for 
any  purpose.  The  Flax  Pond  arrangement  being  temporary,  the 
subject  matter  was  still  further  promptly  acted  on  in  the  council. 
An  accomplished  engineer  was  employed  to  examine  the  several 
sources  in  the  vicinity  from  which  a  supply  might  be  obtained  — 
Flax,  Sluice,  Humphrey's  and  Breed's  ponds,  and  Saugus  river. 
He  made  an  elaborate  report,  and  strongly  recommended  the 
purchase  of  Breed's  Pond,  which  he  claimed  would  yield  sufficient 
for  all  necessary  purposes,  at  least,  for  the  time  being.  The 
city  authorities,  being  satisfied  of  the  value  of  the  recommenda- 
tion, soon  made  the  purchase.  But  Breed's  Pond  was  an  artificial 
one,  and  depended  on  the  dam  at  Oak  street  for  its  very  existence. 
The  dam  had  never  appeared  perfectly  tight  and  safe.  Indeed 
during  the  terrific  storm  of  April  15,  185 1,  when  Minot's  Ledge 
light  house  was  destroyed,  such  breaches  had  been  made  that 
all  the  water  rushed  down  into  the  meadow.  Immediately  after 
the  purchase,  work  was  commenced  on  the  dam  ;  and  the  other 
necessary  labor  at  the  pond  was  vigorously  pushed  forward.  The 
pipes,  also  were  laid  as  rapidly  as  possible.  And  on  Monday, 
Nov.  21,  the  water  was  sent  coursing  down  into  the  city,  announc- 
ing its  arrival  on  the  Common  by  leaping  up  at  the  fountain  jet 
to  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet.  The  first  cost  of  the  Breed's 
Pond  property,  was  ^21.500,  exclusive,  of  course,  of  the  repairs 
and  laying  of  pipes,  but  inclusive  of  several  dilapidated  wooden 


40 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/0. 


buildings.  The  reasonable  apprehensions  that  had  disturbed 
many  minds,  as  to  what  could  be  done  in  case  of  a  sudden  con- 
flagration, were  now  allayed,  and  a  point  attained  when  time 
could  be  taken  for  further  deliberation  on  the  question  as  to  what 
source  should  be  turned  to  for  a  permanently  sufficient  supply 
for  all  necessary  purposes.  The  surveyors  had  determined 
that  Humphrey's  Pond  would  be  insufficient ;  that  Breed's  Pond 
would  supply  i.ooo.ooo  gallons  per  day,  on  the  average;  Flax 
Pond,  with  its  adjuncts,  3.000.000 ;  Saugus  River,  5.500.000. 
Careful  estimates  were  further  made  as  to  the  probable  amount 
of  population  in  Lynn  at  certain  future  periods.  And  the  con- 
clusion was  reached,  that  by  the  year  1900,  the  city  would  require 
4.000.000  gallons  daily.  So  that,  at  that  comparatively  near 
period,  no  single  source,  excepting  Saugus  River,  would  be  ade- 
quate. The  different  waters  were  analysed,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  their  relative  purity  ;  and  it  was  found  that  Sluice 
Pond  was  the  purest ;  next  came  Breed's  Pond  ;  next  Saugus 
River  ;  and  last.  Flax  Pond.  In  future  pages  of  this  volume  will 
be  found  an  account  of  what  was  subsequently  done  in  relation 
to  the  water  supply. 

For  several  years  there  had  existed  among  the  Lynn  people  a 
good  deal  of  dissatisfaction  at  the  unsuitable  and  insufficient 
depot  accommodations  furnished  by  the  Eastern  Rail-road  Com- 
pany. The  uncomely  brick  structure,  in  Central  square,  which 
was  the  principal  station,  and  which  was  erected  in  1848,  in  a 
few  years  became  entirely  insufficient  for  the  increased  traffic. 


Eastern  Ratl-road  Station,  Central  Square, 
Erected  in  184S,  taken  down  in  1872. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 187O.  4I 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  well  to  mention,  in  passing,  that  this  was  not 
the  first  depot.  The  one  erected  at  the  opening  of  the  road,  was  a 
diminutive  one  story  wooden  structure,  standing  on  the  northerly 
side  of  the  road,  without  any  roofing  or  other  shelter  over  the  track. 
As  soon,  however,  as  the  Company  manifested  a  willingness  to 
supply  the  need,  a  somewhat  warm  sectional  feeling  sprang  up, 
which,  to  say  the  least,  afforded  an  excuse  for  delay.  Those  who 
had  invested  in  property,  or  had  established  their  business  in 
the  Square  or  its  immediate  neighborhood,  naturally  enough 
could  not  appreciate  the  claims  of  those  who  advocated  the 
removal  to  a  site  farther  westward.  Others,  not  so  circumstanced, 
claimed  that  it  would  be  vastly  more  convenient  for  the  people 
in  general  to  have  the  new  erection  on  the  westerly  side  of 
Market  street.  There  was  much  discussion  and  loud  talk,  success 
seeming  to  lean  now  to  one  side  and  then  to  the  other.  The 
legislative  arm  was  invoked,  and  on  the  29th  of  April,  1865,  it 
was  strangely  enough  enacted  that  "  No  rail-road  corporation 
shall  abandon  any  passenger  station  or  depot  which  is  on  its 
road  in  this  Commonwealth,  and  owned  by  said  corporation,  and 
which  has  now  been  or  shall  hereafter  have  been  established  for 
five  years,  except  by  the  consent  of  the  legislature  ;  and  the 
accommodation  furnished  by  the  stopping  of  trains  at  such 
stations  shall  not  be  substantially  diminished,  as  compared  with 
that  furnished  at  other  stations  on  the  same  road."  This  was  an 
unexpected  and  staggering  blow  to  the  Market  street  party,  as  it 
was  called.  And  it  seemed  as  if  the  Company  was  inclined  to  take 
it  as  an  excuse  to  delay  the  erection  of  a  new  depot  in  either 
that  street  or  Central  square.  But  the  matter  was  kept  seething, 
and  in  1868  the  legislature  sent  out  a  committee  to  examine  into 
the  rival  claims.  They  made  a  report,  and  on  the  nth  of  June 
an  act  was  passed  requiring  the  Company  to  erect  a  suitable 
station  on  the  old  site  in  Central  square  ;  with  a  provision  that 
if  they  failed  to  do  so,  the  Supreme  Court  should  have  power  to 
appoint  commissioners  and  compel  specific  performance.  Still 
the  Company  did  nothing,  taking  the  lofty  ground  that  the  act 
was  unconstitutional.  Then  the  question  of  constitutionality 
went  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  that  august  body  determined 
that  it  was  constitutional,  and  appointed  commissioners  to  pro- 
ceed with  the  work  of  erection.  But  before  they  had  had  time  to 
accomplish  any  thing,  an  appeal  was  taken  to  the  United  States 
Court,  But  this  little  stirring  episode  in  Lynn's  rail-road  history 
need  not  be  pursued  farther  than  to  say  that  the  good  people 
presently  came  to  realise  the  folly  of  so  illustrating  the  fable 
of  the  Dog  in  the  Manger.  And  the  result  was  that  in  1872 
two  handsome  and  costly  stations  were  erected,  one  in  Central 
square,  where  it  still  stands,  and  the  other  in  State  street,  a  few 
rods  from  Market,  where  it  remained  some  months,  and  was  then 


42  ANNAllS    OF    LYNN 1 8/ 1. 

demolished  ;  thus  leaving  the  old  Central  square  site  the  perma- 
nent one.  A  little  wooden  building,  sufficient  for  the  sheltei 
of  waiting  passengers,  however,  was  erected  on  Market  street, 
where  some  of  the  daily  trains  were  made  to  stop.  This  "  depot 
war,"  as  it  came  to  be  called,  has  its  lesson.  It  shows  how  a 
whole  community  may  be  made  to  suffer  inconvenience,  year 
after  year,  and  its  business  be  damaged,  by  the  persistent  dis- 
agreement of  a  few  whose  pecuniary  interests  are  at  stake.  Had 
the  good  citizens  whose  tenacity  so  long  prevented  the  erection 
of  a  new  depot  in  either  place,  been  content  to  yield  a  little  foi 
the  public  good,  the  Company  would  have  had  no  excuse  for  delay 
in  providing  the  much  needed  accommodations. 

187  1. 
Rev.  Joseph  Cook,  who  for  the  time  being  was  stated  minister 
of  the  First  Church,  during  the  early  part  of  this  year  delivered 
a  series  of  Sunday  evening  lectures  in  Music  Hall.  They  were 
of  a  somewhat  sensational  character  and  drew  very  large  audiences. 
One  in  particular,  "  On  the  Moral  Perils  of  the  Present  Factory 
System  of  Lynn,"  elicited  warm  discussion,  and  was  denounced 
by  many  considerate  people  as  giving  an  altogether  unwarrant- 
ably dark  picture  of  the  culture  and  morals  of  the  young  men  and 
women  who  labored  in  the  shoe  manufactories  ;  and  as  unjustly 
assuming  that  there  was  almost,  if  not  entirely,  criminal  laxity  in 
the  management  of  the  establishments.  In  style,  he  seemed  to 
emulate  his  sturdy  predecessor,  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke,  often  em- 
ploying language  any  thing  but  choice  and  denunciations  far 
from  gentle.  The  lectures  also  appeared  in  print,  and  caused 
much  acrimonious  comment.  Mr.  Cook,  some  years  after,  deliv- 
ered lectures  in  Boston  and  other  large  cities,  where  they  were 
attended  by  very  great  audiences,  and  met  on  the  one  hand  with 
the  warmest  applause  and  on  the  other  with  the  most  vigorous 
tokens  of  disapproval. 

Died,  in  Swampscott,  Jan,  21,  Capt.  Thomas  Widger,  a  native 
of  Marblehead,  aged  80  years.  He  commenced  a  seafaring  life 
when  but  nine  years  old,  shipping  at  that  time  for  a  fishing 
voyage  to  the  Grand  Banks.  He  afterwards  sailed  on  merchant 
voyages  to  foreign  ports,  and  early  in  the  war  of  1812  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  British,  and  remained  a  year  in  a  prison  ship, 
when  he  was  exchanged.  Subsequently  he  sailed  from  Salem  in 
the  privateer  America,  on  a  cruise  during  which  several  prizes 
were  captured.  After  the  war  he  was  again  in  the  Grand  Bank 
fishery.  In  1832  he  settled  in  Swampscott  and  continued  to 
follow  the  seas  ;  finally,  as  age  pressed  upon  him,  employing 
himself  in  the  humble  capacity  of  a  dory  fisherman.  His  habits 
were  temperate,  and  through  life  he  enjoyed  remarkably  good 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/ 1.  43 

health,  and  never  required  the  use  of  spectacles  in  reading  the 
finest  print.  An  interesting  incident  in  his  stirring  life,  and  one 
indicative  of  his  horror  of  inhumanity  in  a  sailor,  was  his  joining 
in  the  famous  feat  of  tarring  and  feathering  "  Old  Floyd  Ireson," 
which  remarkable  performance  has  been  so  often  celebrated  by 
historian  and  poet.  It  should,  however,  be  kept  in  mind  that 
it  was  long  since  positively  denied  that  Skipper  Ireson  was 
guilty  of  the  "  hord  horted "  act  of  refusing  assistance  to  the 
wrecked  crew,  which  was  the  occasion  of  his  ignominious  treat- 
ment, but  suffered  from  false  accusation. 

Between  one  and  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Feb.  20,  a  fire 
occurred  in  a  building  on  the  Osborne  estate,  on  Walnut  street; 
near  the  Saugus  line.  Mr.  John  M'Kenney,  with  his  wife  and 
five  young  children,  occupied  a  tenement  in  the  building.  The 
alarm  was  sudden  and  the  fire  spread  rapidly.  Mr.  M'Kenney 
perished  in  the  flames  and  the  others  barely  escaped  in  their 
night  clothes.  One  little  fellow  of  six  years  fled  barefoot  upon 
the  ice  and  snow,  with  a  younger  child  upon  his  back,  bravely 
struggling  on  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  till  he  reached  a 
place  of  safety. 

The  month  of  March  was  unusually  mild  —  stated  by  meteor- 
ologists to  be  the  warmest  for  forty-seven  years. 

There  was  a  brilliant  auroral  display  on  the  night  of  April  17. 
A  beautiful  arch  of  several  hues  rose  in  the  north,  and  by  its 
constant  changes  in  form  and  color  afforded  a  most  interesting 
spectacle. 

The  fine  brick  building  on  the  northeast  side  of  Exchange 
street  near  Broad,  was  completed  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  and 
immediately  occupied  by  the  Lynn  Institution  for  Savings  and 
the  First  National  Bank. 

The  first  lighting  of  street  lanterns  on  Nahant,  was  on  the 
night  of  May  9. 

Four  of  the  clergymen  of  Lynn  were  this  year  travelling  in 
Europe. 

The  little  pond  near  the  centre  of  the  Common  and  its  neat 
surroundings  were  completed  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  the 
sparkling  little  fountain  then  threw  up  its  picturesque  jets. 

A  reputable  citizen  reported  seeing,  as  he  passed  Gold  Fish 
pond,  early  on  a  May  morning,  a  singular  contest  between  hostile 
parties  of  frogs  and  toads.  They  were  engaged  in  a  fierce  battle, 
which  terminated  in  victory  for  the  frogs.  He  declared  that  the 
poor  toads  were  actually  drowned  by  having  their  heads  forced 
under  the  water  and  there  held  by  the  frogs,  it  requiring  in  some 
instances  two  frogs  to  overcome  one  toad.  The  victory  was 
celebrated  by  exulting  croaks.  What  the  occasion  of  the  reptile 
war  was,  did  not  appear. 

On  Tuesday,  May  30,  Soldiers'  Memorial  Day,  fitting  ceremo 


44  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  8/ 1. 

nies  took  place.  The  oration  was  delivered  by  J.  K.  Tarbox,  Esq. 
of  Lawrence. 

The  corner  stone  of  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  on  the  site  of  the  old 
Lyceum  Hall,  on  Market  street,  corner  of  Summer,  was  laid  on 
Monday,  June  12,  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  Preparations 
had  been  made  for  a  grand  display,  and  organizations  from  abroad 
had  been  invited.  But  the  unpropitious  weather  interfered  with 
many  details. 

It  is  an  old  belief,  traces  of  which  may  be  found  reaching  back 
to  periods  long  before  European  settlement  commenced  here, 
that  shell  fish,  clams  especially,  are  poisonous  during  the  warm 
season,  or,  as  it  is  usually  expressed,  during  every  month  that  is 
spelled  without  an  r.  Many,  however,  have  contended  that  the 
bivalves  are  as  healthy  for  food  at  one  time  as  another.  But  an 
incident  occurred  here,  on  July  6,  which  was  accepted  by  many 
as  confirmatory.  Four  men  went  over  to  Pines  Point,  and  there 
ate  rather  bountifully  of  raw  clams.  They  were  soon  taken  sick 
and  hastened  homeward.  Immediately  after  their  arrival  two 
died  ;  but  the  others,  after  much  suffering,  recovered.  Such  a 
meal,  however,  might  be  accounted  sufficiently  dangerous  for 
any  stomach,  irrespective  of  the  idea  of  poison.  An  incident 
similar  to  the  foregoing  occurred  in  June,  1848. 

A  singular  case  of  spontaneous  combustion  took  place  in 
August,  in  a  body  of  some  four  hundred  tons  of  Sydney  coal,  on 
a  wharf  running  from  Broad  street.  It  appears  to  have  smoul- 
dered for  a  few  days,  when,  on  the  nth,  it  set  fire  to  the  shed 
under  which  it  lay.  A  steam  fire  engine  was  employed  in  the 
attempt  to  extinguish  it,  but  it  was  necessary  to  throw  a  portion 
into  the  dock,  to  save  the  remainder.  About  sixty  tons  were 
lost.  The  combustion  appeared  to  have  been  caused  by  rain 
and  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

An  unusually  long  drought  occurred  in  the  summer  of  this 
year.     No  rain  fell  for  forty-two  days. 

Five  tents  of  Indians  —  about  the  number  who  usually  appear 
here  when  the  summer  visitors  arrive  —  encamped  on  the  Beach, 
near  the  foot  of  Beach  street,  and  remaine-'^  a  month  or  two, 
plying  their  humble  trade  in  baskets  and  bead-vvork. 

A  terrible  disaster  took  place  on  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  at 
Revere,  on  the  evening  of  Saturday,  Aug.  26,  the  weather  being 
damp  and  foggy.  An  accommodation  train  from  Boston  reached 
the  Revere  station  soon  after  eight  o'clock.  The  passengers  for 
that  place  had  landed  and  the  train  was  just  beginning  to  move 
forward  when  an  express  train,  with  a  terrific  crash,  dashed 
down  upon  it,  the  locomotive  fairly  burying  itself  in  the  rear  car, 
which  was  crowded  with  passengers,  their  number  being  not  less 
than  a  hundred,  many  of  whom  were  standing.  By  this  appalling 
casualty  thirty  persons  were  killed,  eleven  of  them  of  Lynn,  and 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/ 1.  45 

some  seventy-five  injured,  fifteen  or  twenty  seriously.  The  ven- 
erable Dr.  Ezra  S.  Gannett,  a  Unitarian  minister  of  Boston,  and 
long  a  colleague  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Channing,  who  was  on  his 
way  to  Lynn  to  preach  in  the  Unitarian  church,  the  next  day, 
was  among  the  killed.  Mr.  Thomas  F.  Bancroft,  a  deacon  of  the 
First  Church  of  Lynn  and  an  extensive  shoe  manufacturer,  was 
also  among  the  killed.  He  had  but  recently  made  the  long  jour- 
ney to  and  from  California,  over  the  Pacific  Rail-road,  without 
meeting  with  an  accident.  Large  claims  for  damages  were  made 
against  the  road,  and  they  were  honorably  settled. 

There  was  a  violent  storm  on  Sunday  evening,  Aug.  27.  Sev- 
eral small  buildings  and  numerous  trees  were  prostrated. 

The  Odd  Fellows  of  Essex  county  had  a  great  parade  in  Lynn, 
Sept.  29.  The  weather  was  favorable  and  the  members  appeared 
in  their  rich  and  showy  regalia. 

The  Electric  Fire  Alarm  was  first  operated  through  all  the 
circuits,  on  the  evening  of  Oct.  2. 

Something  of  an  idea  of  the  passion  for  out-door  social  gather- 
ings, or  pic-nic  parties,  as  they  are  called,  at  this  period,  may  be 
formed  from  the  fact  that  thirty-seven  were  held  in  the  single 
locality  of  Echo  Grove,  during  the  summer ;  and  that  grove  is 
but  one  of  several  similar  places  of  resort  within  or  about  our 
borders.  Many  of  the  parties  were  from  neighboring  towns  ; 
and  on  the  other  hand  many  Lynn  parties  went  to  other  places. 

Died,  at  his  place  of  residence.  South  Common  street,  corner 
of  Commercial,  Oct.  11,  David  Taylor,  aged  68.  He  was  not  a 
native  of  Lynn,  but  came  here  at  an  early  age,  friendless  and 
poor.  By  industry  and  business  tact,  however,  he  took  rank, 
while  yet  a  young  man,  among  the  first  of  our  shoe  manufactur- 
ers. Li  January,  1833,  he  met  with  a  serious  loss  by  fire,  his 
manufactory,  which  stood  on  the  corner  of  Elm  and  Ash  streets, 
being  burned,  with  a  large  amount  of  stock.  But  he  was  soon 
again  in  prosperous  business  and  largely  engaged  in  the  southern 
trade.  He  took  considerable  interest  in  political  affairs  though 
not  an  office  holder,  and  in  1838,  in  connection  with  Charles 
Coolidge  established  the  Lynn  Freeman,  a  large  and  well-ap- 
pointed political  weekly  newspaper  of  the  Whig  stamp.  His 
connection  with  the  paper,  however,  was  not  of  long  continuance. 
He  established  a  business  house  in  New  Orleans,  and  for  several 
years  spent  a  large  part  of  his  time  in  that  city.  A  newspaper 
writer  said  of  him,  "  He  was  a  fixture  in  the  New  Orleans  market, 
and  was  as  well  known  there  and  up  the  river  as  the  most  popu- 
lar boat  that  came  and  went.  We  can  see  him  now  as  he  used 
to  appear,  with  his  portly  person,  his  partially  bald  head,  his 
genial  countenance,  his  neat  dress,  and  his  massive  gold  fob- 
chain  and  seal."     The  war  of  the   Rebelhon  found  him  in  the 


46  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 187I. 

south,  a  staunch  Union  man  ;  and  he  suffered  severely,  in  a 
pecuniary  way.  After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  was  able  to  gather 
up  something  from  his  scattered  fortune,  and  passed  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  in  Lynn,  in  comfortable  though  not  affluent  circum- 
stances. He  was  accustomed  to  take  a  practical  view  of  life,  and 
for  his  reading  chose  the  more  solid  works.  And  having  been 
in  contact  with  all  classes  and  travelled  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  with  an  observing  e3''e,  he  was  enabled  to  impart  much 
useful  information.  The  house  in  which  he  died  was  the  same 
which  he  had  in  process  of  erection  at  the  time  of  the  burning 
of  his  manufactory,  in  1833.  "Taylor's  Building,"  on  the  corner 
of  Elm  street,  and  adjoining  the  western  extremity  of  "  Healey's 
Arcade,"  which  was,  at  the  time  of  its  erection,  probably  the  most 
costly  building  in  Lynn,  and  considered  by  many  to  be  quite 
beyond  the  requirements  of  the  times,  remains  as  evidence  of  his 
enterprise. 

By  the  great  fire  in  Chicago,  which  commenced  on  the  night 
of  Oct.  7,  it  was  for  a  time  feared  that  some  of  our  business  men 
would  suffer  materially,  the  shoe  and  leather  dealers  there  being 
indebted  to  Lynn  manufacturers  to  the  amount  of  some  $150,000. 
But  the  real  loss,  happily,  proved  inconsiderable.  A  meeting  in 
aid  of  the  sufferers  by  the  calamity  was  held  in  Music  Hall  on  the 
evening  of  October  10,  at  which  resolutions  of  sympathy  were 
adopted,  and  arrangements  made  for  systematic  contributions 
of  money,  clothing,  and  all  articles  of  prime  necessity.  The 
contributions  in  money  amounted  to  something  above  ;^  17.000. 
And  some  forty  cases  of  bedding,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  &c. 
were  likewise  gathered  and  forwarded. 

President  Grant  passed  through  Lynn  on  the  morning  of  Oct. 
16.  A  large  crowd  had  assembled  in  Central  square  to  greet 
him,  but  he  merely  stepped  out  upon  the  platform  of  thePullman 
car  in  which  he  was  journeying  eastward,  bowed  to  the  multitude, 
and  bad  them  good  morning. 

The  autumn  foliage  this  year  presented  unusually  rich  and 
varied  tints.  It  was  a  rare  treat  even  to  one  accustomed  to  these 
annual  displays  to  witness  the  brilliant  show,  and  many  a  fair 
lady  could  be  met  on  a  pleasant  day  wending  her  way  from  the 
woods  with  leafy  gatherings  of  almost  dazzling  brightness. 

Two  human  skeletons,  supposed  to  be  aboriginal  remains,  were 
exhumed,  in  Ocean  street,  Nov.  2. 

A  very  violent  easterly  storm  commenced  on  the  evening 
of  Nov.  14,  and  continued  through  the  15th.  The  wind  was 
very  high,  and  drove  the  sea  in  with  great  fury.  Much  damage 
was  done  along  the  coast.  The  lower  part  of  Beach  street  was 
overflowed  to  the  depth  of  something  more  than  two  feet,  and 
the  condition  of  the  wharves  indicated  a  tidal  influx  as  great, 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  8/ 1.  47 

within  a  few  inches,  as  during  the  memorable  storm  of  April  15, 
185 1.  A  great  concourse,  among  whom  were  many  women, 
gather^  all  about  the  headlands  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  beaches, 
to  witness  the  grandeur  of  the  scene,  heedless  of  the  pelting  of 
the  storm.  The  embankment  along  the  seaward  front  of  Ocean 
street  was  much  damaged,  and  the  Eastern  Rail-road  track  was 
rendered  impassable  for  some  hours.  The  stone  monument  on 
Bowditch  ledge,  off  Marblehead,  was  carried  away,  after  having 
withstood  the  stormy  assaults  of  thirty  years. 

On  the  night  of  Nov.  17,  a  shocking  death  occurred  in  a  house 
on  Howard  street.  Mrs.  Jane  Clinton,  wife  of  John  G.  Clinton,  a 
barber,  was  found  dead  on  the  kitchen  floor,  the  body  bearing 
such  marks  as  at  first  led  to  the  supposition  that  she  had  been 
murdered,  and  an  attempt  made  to  conceal  the  crime  by  setting 
fire  to  the  premises.  Suspicion  fell  on  the  husband,  and  he  was 
arrested.  A  coroner's  inquest  was  held,  and  the  result  of  their 
examination  was  that  she  was  burned  to  death  by  the  breaking 
of  a  kerosene  lamp.  The  jury  also  found  that  both  husband 
and  wife  had  been  intoxicated  and  engaged  in  a  quarrel  during 
the  afternoon.  They  ascribed  to  the  husband  no  direct  agency 
in  the  death  of  the  wife,  but  added  that  had  he  been  sober,  and 
attended  to  his  duty,  the  death  might  not  have  taken  place. 

A  fire  occurred  on  Lamper  and  Brother's  wharf,  at  the  foot 
of  Pleasant  street,  on  Wednesday  evening,  Dec.  13.  A  large 
stable  and  wagon  shed,  with  a  quantity  of  hay,  were  consumed. 
But  the  most  lamentable  feature  of  the  disaster  was  the  perishing 
of  sixteen  valuable  horses. 

A  startling  tragedy  took  place  on  Saturday  forenoon,  Dec.  16, 
in  which  William  Vennar,  known  also  as  William  Brown,  a  man 
about  thirty-six  years  of  age,  and  a  native  of  Maine,  but  who  had 
resided  here  a  few  months,  was  chief  actor.  He  came  to  Lynn 
with  a  woman  who  appears  to  have  been  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Jones,  of  Washington,  Me.,  but  who  had  abandoned  her  lawful 
husband  to  live  with  Vennar,  who  seems  to  have  had  a  wife  in 
Washington.  They  were  boarding,  temporarily,  with  Mrs.  Sarah 
Roundy,  on  Adams  street.  He  was  intemperate,  and,  especially 
when  in  liquor,  of  ferocious  disposition.  The  two  had  many 
quarrels,  but  were  represented  to  have  appeared  unusually  loving 
on  the  morning  of  the  murder.  A  Mrs.  Conway,  who  resided  in 
another  tenement  in  the  same  house,  at  about  half  past  nine, 
hearing  terrific  screams,  hastened  to  the  door,  and  saw  Vennar 
clutching  his  victim  by  the  hair,  and  with  a  large  dirk  knife 
actually  butchering  her.  Having  accomplished  his  purpose,  by 
nearly  severing  the  left  jugular  vein  and  wholly  severing  the 
carotid  artery,  he  washed  his  hands  and  fled.  But  Mrs.  Conway 
had,  as  soon  as  she  recovered  from  the  first  shock  of  horror, 
given  the  alarm,  and  persons  were  fast  gathering.     Vennar,  how- 


48  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/ I. 

ever,  escaped,  and  gained  a  patch  of  woods  on  Farrington's  hill, 
on  the  north  side  of  Western  avenue.  Here  he  was  surrounded, 
and  kept  at  bay  till  others  arrived,  among  them  the  city«marshal 
and  several  police  officers.  Vennar  now  took  a  defiant  attitude, 
brandishing  his  still  bloody  weapon  and  threatening  death  to 
any  one  who  dared  approach.  By  direction  of  the  marshal,  offi- 
cers Thurston  and  Whitten  endeavored  to  disarm  him,  but  did 
not  succeed.  Finally,  officer  Thurston,  in  an  attempt  with  a 
club  to  strike  the  arm  that  held  the  knife,  lost  his  footing.  Ven- 
nar then  sprang  to  him,  and  with  the  utmost  fury  began  to  stab 
him.  That  was  the  decisive  moment,  it  being  evident  that 
Thurston's  life  was  in  imminent  peril,  and  that  instant  action 
alone  could  save  him.  And  the  marshal  proved  himself  equal  to 
the  emergency.  With  promptness  and  coolness  he  levelled  his 
pistol  and  fired  two  shots.  And  Vennar  fell  dead.  The  coro- 
oner's  verdict,  as  well  as  public  opinion,  fully  justified  the  act 
of  the  marshal. 

During  the  winter  of  this  year  the  frost  penetrated  to  an  unu- 
sual depth  ;  in  many  places  five  or  six  feet.  There  was  little  snow, 
and  many  days  of  intense  cold. 

During  the  three  months  ending  Dec.  31,  the  Swampscott 
fishermen  brought  in  1. 140.000  pounds  of  cod.  At  two  cents  a 
pound,  which  was  rather  a  low  price  for  that  year,  the  value 
would  be  ^22.800.  Some  ^3.000  worth  of  oil  was  also  obtained 
during  the  same  three  months. 

The  number  of  passengers  carried  over  the  Eastern  Rail-road 
during  the  year  was  4.635.482  ;  and  the  tons  of  freight,  378.199. 
The  rate  of  speed  per  hour,  including  stops,  was  as  follows : 
freight  trains,  15  miles;  accommodation  passenger  trains,  20 
miles  ;  express  trains,  28  miles. 

The  number  of  feet  of  lumber  imported  into  Lynn  during  the 
quarter  ending  with  December,  was  8.443.000.  About  50.000 
tons  of  coal  were  brought  in  during  the  year. 

The  number  of  persons  carried  to  and  from  Boston,  by  the 
horse  cars,  during  the  year,  was  122.000. 

There  were  392  marriages  in  Lynn,  this  year.  The  ages 
of  the  oldest  couple  were  66  and  46  years,  and  the  youngest,  18 
and  16  years.  The  largest  number  solemnized  by  any  one  min- 
ister was  by  Rev.  Patrick  Strain,  of  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic 
church. 

This  year  and  the  two  preceding  years  were  remarkable  for  the 
little  rain  that  fell.  It  was  a  common  remark  that  we  experi- 
enced a  three  years'  drought.  The  winters  set  in  with  extremely 
low  springs. 

So  many  cases  of  small-pox  occurred  in  Lynn,  this  year,  that 
some  alarm  was  occasioned,  and  measures  were  taken  to  have  a 
general  vaccination. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 872.  49 

1872. 

The  new  Methodist  Meeting-house  on  the  corner  of  Maple 
and  Chesnut  streets,  Glenmere  village,  was  dedicated  on  the 
afternoon  of  February  15. 

The  schooner  Champion,  of  Swampscott,  on  Friday  and  Satur- 
day, Feb.  16  and  17,  with  a  crew  of  twelve  men,  stocked  30.000 
pounds  of  fish,  which  sold  for  four  cents  the  pound  —  ^1.200. 
For  Friday's  catch  the  crew  realized  $y2  each. 

A  two  story  wooden  building,  on  Willow  street,  formerly  stand- 
ing on  the  north  side  of  Central  square,  and  known  as  the  Bay 
State  Building  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  that  in  which 
the  Bay  State  newspaper  was  printed,  was  nearly  destroyed  by 
fire  on  Sunday  morning,  Feb.  25. 

The  City  Hall  bell  was  raised  to  its  position,  on  Saturday, 
March  2.     Its  weight  is  4.937  pounds. 

During  the  early  part  of  March  there  were  several  extremely 
cold  days.  Ice  was  formed  from  Swampscott  to  Nahant.  On  the 
7th  the  fishermen  were  able  to  do  what  they  had  not  done  before 
for  nineteen  years,  that  is,  walk  on  the  ice  to  their  vessels  at  the 
moorings.  A  great  many  garden  evergreens  and  hardy  shrubs 
were  killed.  The  average  temperature  of  the  month,  at  sunrise, 
was  twenty-one  and  a  half  degrees,  which  was  three  degrees 
colder  than  the  average  temperature  of  January. 

On  Thursday,  March  14,  the  trim  little  steamer  Meta,  com- 
menced running  to  and  from  Boston,  making  two  trips  daily, 
each  way,  with  passengers  and  freight.  In  July,  the  Carrie  was 
added  to  the  line,  and  the  two  together  then  made  six  trips  each 
way,  daily.     But  the  line  was  soon  discontinued. 

86.000  lobsters  were  taken  during  the  three  months  beginning 
with  Jan.  i,  by  the  fishers  of  Nahant.  Fears  began  to  arise,  and 
calculations  to  be  made  as  to  the  probable  extermination  of  the 
species,  if  the  great  destruction  were  not  checked.  It  was  shown, 
at  least  to  the  satisfaction  of  many,  that  in  forty  years  lobsters 
would  become  unknown  upon  the  coast,  if  some  restrictions  were 
not  enforced.  The  apprehensions  became  so  lively  that  the 
legislature  was  induced  to  interpose,  and  in  1874  passed  a  law 
that  "  Whoever  sells,  or  offers  for  sale,  or  has  in  his  possession 
with  intent  to  sell,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  any  lobster  less 
than  ten  and  one  half  inches  in  length,  measuring  from  one 
extreme  of  the  body  to  the  other,  exclusive  of  claws  or  feelers, 
shall  forfeit  for  every  such  lobster,  five  dollars."  The  fears  for 
the  fate  of  the  lobster  were  by  no  means  groundless  ;  yet  one  is 
reminded  of  the  appeals  of  some  of  the  early  settlers  who  were 
sorely  apprehensive  that  the  old  iron  works  would  consume  all 
the  wood  that  grew  hereabout. 

A  meeting  of  the  City  Council  was  held  in  the  common  coun- 

4 


50  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/2, 

cil  chamber  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  April  i6,  to  join  in 
testimonials  in  honor  to  the  memory  of  Professor  Morse,  the 
inventor  of  the  electric  telegraph,  who  had  recently  died.  Appro- 
priate resolutions  were  passed,  and  ordered  to  be  entered  on  the 
records  of  both  branches,  and  were  also  immediately  sent  forth, 
on  the  wires,  to  the  meeting  at  the  same  time  convened  in  the 
national  representative  hall,  at  Washington.  Brief  addresses 
were  made  by  the  mayor  and  several  of  the  city  clergymen  ;  and 
the  whole  proceedings  were  highly  eulogistic  of  the  deceased. 

Died,  at  his  residence  on  Western  avenue,  April  21,  Dr.  James 
M.  Nye,  aged  53,  a  native  of  Salisbury,  Mass.  He  was  a  prac- 
tising physician  here,  some  thirty  years,  was  highly  respected 
as  a  citizen,  and  for  skill  and  promptitude  in  his  profession.  In 
scientific  pursuits  and  all  educational  matters,  he  took  great 
interest,  and  was  not  remiss  in  labors  for  the  moral  elevation 
of  the  community.  For  many  years  he  was  a  prominent  and 
useful  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church. 

The  Lynn  Homoeopathic  Society  was  formed,  April  23,  by 
the  resident  homoeopathic  physicians. 

May  30,  was,  according  to  the  now  established  custom,  cele- 
brated as  the  Soldiers'  Memorial  day.  The  address  was  delivered 
by  ex-Governor  Fairfield  of  Wisconsin,  in  the  vestibule  of  the 
City  Hall,  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  interfering  with  the 
contemplated  out-door  proceedings. 

The  fine  brick  building  in  Franklin  street,  erected  for  the 
Cobbet  school,  was  dedicated  May  31.  Besides  the  usual  intel- 
lectual entertainment,  a  banquet  was  provided,  to  which  ladies 
as  well  as  gentlemen  were  invited.  The  Cobbet  school  received 
its  name  from  Rev.  Thomas  Cobbet,  settled  here  in  1637,  as 
colleague  of  Rev.  Mr.  Whiting. 

There  was  a  heavy  thunder  shower,  June  12,  during  which  the 
lightning  struck  in  five  places  in  Lynn,  and  considerably  disar- 
ranged the  telegraphic  fire  alarm. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  a  regatta  took  place  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Lynn  Yacht  Club,  which'  afforded  much  gratification  to 
the  large  company  assembled. 

The  great  musical  entertainment  known  as  "  The  World's 
Peace  Jubilee  and  International  Musical  Festival,"  commenced 
in  Boston,  June  17,  with  its  chorus  of  20.000  voices  and  its 
orchestra  of  more  than  i.ooo  instruments,  its  great  organ,  mam- 
moth drum,  and  belching  cannon,  and  continued  some  fifteen 
days.  Many  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Lynn  lifted  their  voices  in 
the  chorus.  Among  the  most  notable  features  of  the  whole 
occasion  were  the  grand  performances  of  the  instrumental  bands 
from  Europe  —  the  English,  Irish,  French,  and  Prussian.  The 
weather  was  excessively  warm  most  of  the  time,  and  the  crowds 
of  people  in  and  about  the  Coliseum,  and  indeed  around  the  city 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 872.  5  I 

generally  rendered  a  visit  though  highly  interesting,  subject  to 
many  discomforts. 

Died,  in  Saugus,  June  19,  Joseph  Cheever,  aged  a  hundred 
years  and  three  months.  He  served  as  a  representative  in  the 
legislature  in  18 17,  and  for  several  terms  in  subsequent  years, 
his  last  service  being  in  1835. 

The  first  Roman  Catholic  church  on  Nahant  was  built  this 
year,  and  occupied  in  July. 

The  National  Association  of  Morocco  Manufacturers,  composed 
chiefly  of  the  principal  persons  engaged  in  the  trade,  in  the 
Middle  and  New  England  States,  visited  Lynn,  July  11.  They 
were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  brethren  of  the  trade  here, 
and  taken  to  Nahant,  where  they  partook  of  a  dinner,  and  then 
to  Swampscott,  where  a  supper  was  provided.  During  the  day 
opportunity  was  taken  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  their 
branch  of  business,  which  had  risen  to  be  of  commanding  impor- 
tance in  the  country. 

A  company  was  formed  this  year  for  the  manufacture  of  Frear 
stone.  They  established  a  factory  in  Essex  street,  and  among 
their  first  contracts  was  that  to  furnish  the  trimmings  for  the 
Baptist  church,  about  that  time  in  process  of  erection  at  the 
corner  of  Essex  and  Washington  streets.  Door-steps,  memorial 
stones,  garden  urns,  and  a  variety  of  other  articles  were  made, 
which  it  was  claimed  were  quite  as  durable  and  in  some  respects 
preferable  to  manufactures  from  natural  stone.  The  company, 
however,  were  not  successful,  pecuniarily,  and  operations  were 
soon  discontinued. 

On  the  1 8th  of  July,  there  was  a  considerable  gathering  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Lynn  manufacturers,  of  persons  engaged  in 
the  shoe  and  leather  trade  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  The 
portion  of  the  company  assembled  at  Lynn  rode  to  Nahant  in 
procession,  and  were  there  joined  by  others  who  came  from 
Boston  by  steamer.  The  occasion  was  rather  designed  for 
social  enjoyment  than  dry  business  purposes,  and  a  band  of  music 
was  employed  to  enliven  the  occasion.  Every  provision  was 
made  for  table  gratifications,  and  speeches,  humorous  and  sedate, 
were  delivered.  Various  sports  were  engaged  in,  and  the  inter- 
esting spectacle  of  a  regatta  provided.  The  latter,  however, 
proved  rather  a  failure,. as  a  dense  ocean  mist  rolled  in. 

A  comical  little  incident  occurred  to  some  of  our  grave  city 
officials  on  a  certain  balmy  summer  day.  The  question  of  a  new 
almshouse  had  been  agitated  in  the  council,  and  afterwards,  in 
committee,  the  style  of  the  proposed  building  was  considered. 
In  the  course  of  the  discussion  it  was  represented,  on  newspaper 
authority,  that  a  model  institution  had  lately  been  erected  in 
Hartford.  Upon  the  information,  such  high  authority  not  being 
questioned,  three  or  four  officials  went  forth  on  a  tour  of  inpsec- 


52  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 18/2. 

tion.  Arrived  in  Hartford,  they  forthwith  waited  on  the  mayor 
and  proceeded  to  unfold  the  purpose  of  their  visit.  They  were 
hospitably  received,  but  without  circumlocution  and  with  manifest 
astonishment  informed  that  no  such  building  as  they  came  to 
inspect,  existed.  The  polite  attentions  were  calculated  to  alle- 
viate their  chagrin,  but  not  to  abate  the  unspoken  maledictions 
upon  the  disseminator  of  the  false  information  that  induced  their 
fruitless  journey. 

The  lamps  placed  along  the  beach  road  leading  to  Nahant 
were  lighted  for  the  first  time  on  the  evening  of  July  24.  They 
proved  not  only  a  great  convenience,  but  quite  a  picturesque 
feature,  as  viewed  from  the  heights. 

A  Crispin  strike,  so  called,  took  place  in  Lynn  during  the 
summer.  The  organization  known  as  the  Knights  of  St.  Crispin 
had  been  in  existence  several  years  and  embraced  a  large  portion 
of  the  operatives  in  the  shoe  business.  For  a  year  or  two  they 
had  been  working  at  prices  agreed  upon  between  themselves  and 
the  manufacturers  ;  but  the  time  to  which  the  arrangement  was 
limited  had  expired,  and  the  employers  were  not  all  disposed  to 
continue  to  pay  the  same  prices,  in  every  department,  some 
of  them  proposing  to  make  a  small  reduction  in  the  price  of  work 
on  a  particular  part  of  the  shoe,  where  it  was  alleged  such  facili- 
ties had  lately  been  introduced  as  to  justify  such  a  step.  This 
was  met  by  the  peremptory  order  of  the  Crispin  "  Board  of  Ar- 
bitration," that  all  members  who  were  at  work  in  the  shops  where 
the  reduction  was  made,  should  cease  work  on  Friday,  July  26, 
as  well  those  who  were  not  called  to  suffer  a  reduction  as  those 
who  were.  The  manufacturers  did  not  propose  to  reduce  the 
prices  generally.  In  compliance  with  the  official  order,  the  Cris- 
pins in  the  shops  alluded  to,  ceased  to  work  ;  the  great  body 
of  the  associates  were  soon  idle  ;  and  some  of  the  largest  manu- 
factories were  brought  to  a  "  stand  still,"  as  the  phrase  was. 
To  indulge  long  in  such  a  course,  it  soon  became  apparent, 
would  not  only  be  damaging  to  individual  interests,  but  seriously 
detrimental  to  the  prosperity  of  the  city.  Some  prominent  man- 
ufacturers made  preparations  to  move  their  machinery  to  other 
places,  where  they  would  not  in  future  be  embarrassed  by  the 
action  of  such  organizations.  A  good  many  Crispins  who  had 
been  satisfied  with  their  situations  and  rates  of  pay,  were  forced 
by  the  order  of  their  Board  of  Arbitration  to  remain  idle  for 
weeks,  much  to  the  injury  of  themselves  and  their  families.  It 
happened  to  be  a  season  when  business  was  not  brisk,  so  that 
the  manufacturers  felt  the  better  able  to  take  a  persistent  stand 
against  the  demands  of  what  they  deemed  an  unjust  and  unrea- 
sonable organization.  The  Crispins,  being  generally  dependent 
on  their  daily  labor,  and,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of  a  few 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN I872.  53 

hot-heads,  really  considerate  and  fair-minded,  began  to  see  the 
greater  evils  that  must  follow,  if  things  remained  in  that  position, 
or  if  the  business  were  driven  out  of  the  city.  On  the  evening 
of  August  2,  the  manufacturers  held  a  meeting  at  which  it  was 
resolved  "  That  it  is  for  the  best  interests  of  the  city  of  Lynn 
that  every  manufacturer  manage  his  own  business,  irrespective 
of  any  organization."  The  following  agreement  was  then  drawn 
up,  and  received  the  signatures  of  some  fifty  of  the  principal 
individual  manufacturers  and  firms  :  "  We  the  undersigned,  man- 
ufacturers of  the  city  of  Lynn,  hereby  agree  that  on  and  after 
Saturday,  Aug.  lo,  we  will  employ  no  person  subject  to,  or  under 
the  control  of,  any  organization  claiming  the  power  to  interfere 
with  any  contract  between  employer  and  employee."  They 
claimed  that  they  had  a  right  to  make  their  own  bargains,  and 
had  decided  to  make  them  with  such  only  as  were  free  to  bargain 
for  themselves.  The  Crispins  received  notice  of  the  determina- 
tion of  the  manufacturers,  and  though  at  first  there  seemed  to 
some  extent  a  disposition  to  refuse  compliance,  the  organization 
in  reality  soon  ceased  to  claim  control  over  its  members  in  the 
vexed  matter  of  bargaining  for  wages.  And  then,  when  business 
revived,  all  hands  went  cheerfully  to  work.  On  the  whole,  per- 
haps, this  movement  was  beneficial  in  its  results,  for  it  was  taken 
notice  of  throughout  the  country,  and  elicited  discussions  touch- 
ing such  organizations  which  were  calculated  to  prove  widely 
useful.  And  here,  at  home,  the  good  and  evil  features  of  the 
local  organization  were  canvassed  in  a  manner  that  may  have  a 
permanent  influence  for  good.  There  was  an  unusually  small 
amount  of  personal  acrimony  exhibited  during  the  proceedings, 
the  troublesome  questions  being  mostly  met,  by  both  sides,  in  a 
forbearing,  manly  way.  Possibly  the  circumstance  most  to  be 
lamented  was  that  some  of  the  enterprising  manufacturers  with- 
drew portions  at  least  of  their  business  from  Lynn  and  established 
factories  in  other  parts  of  the  State,  in  Maine  and  New  Hamp- 
shire. Some  distant  towns,  availing  themselves  of  the  posture 
of  affairs  here,  offered  large  inducements  in  the  way  of  remission 
of  taxes  and  assistance  in  various  forms  to  such  as  would  com- 
mence establishments  within  their  borders. 

Early  in  the  evening  of  Aug.  13,  the  large  box  factory  building 
of  S.  O.  Breed,  near  the  southerly  end  of  Commercial  street,  was 
struck  by  lightning  and  set  on  fire.  It  was  totally  destroyed, 
together  with  a  small  building  in  the  rear.  The  bolt  was  seen 
by  several  persons  when  it  struck. 

The  summer  of  this  year  was  remarkable  for  its  excessive  heat 
and  the  frequency  and  severity  of  its  thunder  showers.  It  was 
also  remarkable  for  the  abundance  of  winged  insects,  particularly 
mosquitos  and  house  flies.     From  April  to  Nov.  much  rain  fell. 


54  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 872. 

The  brick  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Congregational  So- 
ciety, on  South  Common  street,  corner  of  Vine,  was  dedicated 
on  Thursday  evening,  Aug.  29 ;  sermon  by  Rev.  Mr.  Dennin. 
An  auction  sale  of  pews  was  held  on  the  evening  of  Sept.  18,  and 
1^3.000  raised.  The  highest  bid  for  choice  was  $250.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  on  the  afternoon  of  July  10,  1871. 

The  capacious  and  elegant  Ingalls  school  house,  on  Essex 
street,  was  dedicated  Aug.  31.  Ingalls  school  was  so  named 
from  Edmund  and  Francis  Ingalls,  the  first  settlers. 

Died,  in  Swampscott,  Sept.  25,  Joseph  Harding,  aged  97.  He 
was  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  free-mason  in  the  State,  having 
joined  the  Adams  lodge,  in  Wellfleet,  in  1800. 

William  F.  Mitchell,  having  been  chosen  City  Missionary  by 
representatives  of  the  different  religious  organizations,  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  the  ofBce  in  September.  He  served  faithfully 
for  five  or  six  years,  and  then  the  distinctive  office  was  discon- 
tinued. 

From  May  19  to  Oct.  6,  inclusive,  on  all  the  Sundays,  twenty- 
one  in  number,  the  weather  was  pleasant. 

So  famed  had  Swampscott  become  as  a  watering  place  that 
during  this  year  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  between  10.000 
and  1 1. 000  visitors.  The  fashionable  time  for  driving  was  from 
four  in  the  afternoon,  till  dark  ;  and  at  that  time  the  fine  drives  in 
the  vicinity  afforded  as  much  elegance  and  as  great  diversity  in 
turn-outs  as  could  be  seen  any  where.  The  gay  nag  pranced 
with  the  lordly  equipage,  and  the  raw-boned  roadster  with  his 
rattling  gig.  There  is  probably  no  place  on  the  New  England 
coast  with  a  more  salubrious  climate,  or  affording  better  facilities 
for  the  comforts  and  enjoyments  of  a  temporary  summer  resi- 
dence. Yachting,  rowing,  fishing,  bathing,  and  in  short  all  kinds 
of  marine  exercise  or  sport,  can  here  be  indulged  in  to  the  heart's 
content.  Here,  too,  all  the  fashionable  in-door  recreations  and 
diversions — games,  music,  dancing,  social  converse  —  may  be 
pursued  in  the  most  genial  company.  And  then  the  magnificent 
and  ever  changing  ocean  views,  by  sunlight  and  moonlight,  and 
the  charming  landscape  scenes  are  never  wearying  to  the  culti- 
vated eye. 

During  the  warm  months  of  this  year  and  the  three  preceding 
years  there  was  great  activity  in  real  estate  transactions,  and 
prices  advanced  wonderfully,  not  only  in  the  central  sections  but 
in  the  remote  outskirts  and  rough  highlands.  Indeed  they  were 
rank  speculative  times.  Many  who  owned  small  estates  near 
business  centres  found  themselves  suddenly  rich  —  and  it  should 
be  added  that  if  they  invested  their  sudden  gains  in  other  real 
estate,  and  continued  to  hold  it  a  couple  of  years,  they  probably 
grew  just  as  suddenly  poor  again,  for  an  equalizing  depression 
followed  the  inflation. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 


1872. 


55 


Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  on  Market  street,  corner  of  Summer,  was 
dedicated  on  Monday,  Oct.  7.  During  the  afternoon  there  was 
a  parade,  in  regalia,  which  attracted  much  attention,  and  a  dinner 
was  partaken  of  at  the  Kertland  House.  The  dedicatory  services, 
held  in  the  evening,  were  of  a  highly  interesting  character,  and 
at  the  close  the  officers  partook  of  a  supper  at  the  above-named 
house.  Soon  after  the  dedication  a  great  Fair  for  the  benefit 
of  the  lodge  was  held  in  the  new  building,  and  the  sum  real- 
ized was  a  little  over  ;^5.ooo.  The  Bay  State  Lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  in  Lynn,  was  instituted  in  1844,  and  at  the  time  of  the 
dedication  numbered  a  membership  of  680. 


Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  Lynn  :  Erected  in  1872. 

Cheap  rail-road  trains,  intended  particularly  for  the  benefit 
of  working  men,  commenced  running  on  the  Eastern  Rail-road, 
between  Lynn  and  Boston,  in  November.  Twenty  tickets  were 
sold  for  a  dollar,  which  made  the  fare  about  half  a  cent  per  mile. 
A  train  left  Lynn  at  half  past  five  in  the  morning  and  Boston  at 
half  past  six  in  the  evening. 

The  great  fire  in  Boston  commenced  on  the  evenins:  of  Satur- 


56  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  8/2. 

day,  Nov.  9,  and  continued  to  rage  sixteen  hours,  destroying 
property  to  the  value  of  ^70.000.000.  During  the  night,  from  the 
hights  about  Lynn  the  flames  presented  a  grand  and  startling 
spectacle,  and  the  light  was  seen  by  passengers  on  board  the 
steamers  as  far  off  as  Long  Island  Sound.  Detachments  of  the 
Lynn  firemen  hastened  to  the  assistance  of  their  unfortunate 
neighbors,  taking  with  them  a  couple  of  our  steam  fire  engines, 
and  were  afterwards  by  the  Boston  officials  publicly  thanked  for 
their  efficient  services.  A  number  of  the  business  men  of  Lynn 
were  large  sufferers  by  the  calamity.  Between  fifty-nine  and 
sixty  acres  of  the  heavy  business  portion  of  the  city  were  burned 
over. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  autumn  of  this  year  a  singular 
disease  prevailed  among  the  horses  here  and  all  over  this  region 
of  country.  It  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  catarrhal  fever.  Epizootic 
was  the  name  usually  applied.  Scarcely  a  horse  in  all  Lynn 
escaped,  though  it  proved  fatal  in  but  few  cases.  It  was,  however, 
disabling,  and  evidently  painful.  So  extensively  did  the  disease 
prevail  that  for  some  days  the  accustomed  noise  of  wheel  car- 
riages almost  entirely  ceased  to  be  heard  in  our  streets.  Hand- 
carts and  wheel-barrows  were  put  in  requisition,  and  oxen,  cows, 
goats  and  dogs  were  put  to  new  duties.  Odd  and  comical  turn- 
outs were  every  where  seen.  In  some  instances  teams  of  from 
three  to  six  men  were  seen  hauling  along  loads.  The  trips 
of  the  horse  cars  to  Boston  were  suspended,  and  only  occasionally 
was  one  made  through  Lynn,  Public  request  was  made  by  the 
authorities  for  the  citizens  to  hasten,  in  case  of  an  alarm  of  fire, 
and  assist  in  dragging  the  steam  fire-engines.  In  Boston,  the 
United  States  mails  were  carried  to  and  from  the  post-ofifice  in  ox 
teams.  The  ministers  in  many  instances  took  up  the  matter  as 
the  theme  of  their  Sunday  discourses  ;  and  the  whole  community 
began  to  realize  our  dependence  on  the  equine  race.  In  many 
cases  the  recovery  was  slow,  and  the  exhausting  effects  were  felt 
for  months. 

The  brick  and  iron  station  of  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  on  Central 
square,  was  built  this  year ;  also  the  brick  and  iron  station  on 
State  street ;  which  latter  was  soon  taken  down.  On  pages  40, 
41,  and  42,  may  be  found  a  brief  account  of  the  "  rail-road  war," 
so  called,  which  took  place  about  this  time.  The  number  of  daily 
passenger  trains  running  from  Lynn  to  Boston  was  forty ;  and 
the  number  from  Boston  to  Lynn  was  the  same,  including  five 
from  East  Boston.     Ten  years  before  but  twelve  ran  each  way. 

The  Reservoir,  on  the  northerly  slope  of  Second  Pine  Hill  was 
built  this  year. 

The  whole  number  of  streets  in  Lynn,  this  year,  was  236  ;  and 
the  number  of  courts  and  alleys  75  ;  together  making  about 
ninety  miles  in  length. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN • 


1873- 


57 


18  7  3. 
The  pumping  engine  at  the  public  water  works,  on  Walnut 
street,  was  first  put  in  operation  on  the  afternoon  of  January  14, 
sending  up  the  water  from  Breed's  pond  into  the  Pine  Hill  Res- 
ervoir. And  on  the  27th  of  February  the  water  was  let  into  the 
distributing  pipes.  It  was,  however,  soon  discovered  that  serious 
leaks  existed  in  the  reservoir,  and  it  became  necessary  during 
the  ensuing  summer  to  puddle  the  entire  bottom.  Measuring 
on  a  depth  of  fifteen  feet  the  reservoir  has  a  capacity  of  2.000.000 
gallons,  and  is  177  feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  depth  is  18  feet, 
and  the  water  surface  about  five  acres. 


Pumping  Engine  House, 
Walnut  Street,  Lynn.     (Rear  View.) 

On  the  night  of  March  7,  a  fire  commenced  in  the  hardware 
store  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Munroe  streets,  by  which 
property  to  the  amount  of  $3,600  was  destroyed. 

This  year  Lynn  had  five  organized  bands  of  music,  and  few 
public  parades  of  any  note  took  place  without  the  services  of  one 
at  least. 

On  the  morning  of  April  9,  the  keeper  of  Egg  Rock  light 
shot  two  wild  geese  which  had  alighted  on  the  rock  for  rest  on 
their  migratory  journey  northward. 

Several  of  our  enterprising  Lynn  residents  sent  specimens 
of  their  manufactures  to  the  "World's  Exposition"  which  was 


58  ANNALS    OF    LYNN iS/J. 

this  year  in  successful  operation  at  Vienna,  in  Austria.  Speci- 
mens of  boots  and  shoes,  of  elastic  car  wheels,  and  steam  gauges 
were  forwarded,  and  elicited  favorable  notice. 

On  Soldiers'  Memorial  Day,  May  30,  Col.  C.  B.  Fox  delivered 
the  address. 

English  sparrows  made  their  appearance  in  Lynn,  this  year  — 
probably  the  progeny  of  those  imported  into  Boston  a  few  years 
before  in  the  hope  that  they  would,  in  a  measure  at  least,  pre- 
serve the  trees  from  the  ravages  of  canker  worms  and  other 
destructive  insects.  Bird  houses  were  placed  in  the  trees  on 
and  about  the  Common  and  on  many  private  grounds  for  their 
accommodation. 

A  singular  and  almost  amusing  instance  of  forgetfulness  hap- 
pened to  one  of  our  Lynn  ladies  this  year.  When  about  going 
away  on  a  visit,  she  concealed,  in  a  rag-bag,  divers  valuables  in 
the  shape  of  notes  and  bank  books,  representing  some  four  thou- 
sand dollars.  Some  time  after  her  return  she  sold  to  a  travelling 
rag  gatherer  the  contents  of  her  bag,  entirely  forgetting  the  con- 
cealed treasure.  But  the  alarming  fact  soon  after  occurred  to 
her,  and  she  hastened  to  attempt  the  recovery  of  her  treasure. 
She  traced  the  rag  gatherer  to  Salem,  found  the  place  in  which 
he  deposited  his  musty  chattels,  and  there  regained  her  valuables. 

On  the  morning  of  Aug.  16,  John  Cuzner,  aged  34,  while  at 
work,  with  two  others,  on  the  northerly  side  of  the  tower  of  the 
Washington  street  Baptist  church,  then  in  course  of  erection, 
was  precipitated  to  the  ground  from  a  height  of  seventy-eight 
feet,  by  the  fall  of  the  staging,  and  so  injured  that  he  died  in  an 
hour.  The  two  others  were  seriously  injured.  Charles  L.  Sav- 
age, a  mason,  who  worked  on  the  same  building,  lost  his  life  on 
the  morning  of  July  i,  also  by  defective  staging. 

A  serious  fire  occurred  in  Union  street,  on  the  morning  of 
Aug.  25,  commencing  in  French's  furniture  store,  near  the  Saga- 
more hotel,  the  latter  barely  escaping.  Four  hundred  thousand 
gallons  of  water  were  used  in  extinguishing  the  flames,  and  the 
water  in  the  new  reservoir  was  lowered  four  inches. 

Died,  Aug.  27,  William  S.  Boyce,  aged  63.  He  was  greatly 
respected  for  his  many  excellent  qualities.  His  native  place  was 
Portland,  but  he  came  to  Lynn  when  about  nine  years  of  age, 
and  by  industry  and  diligence  accumulated  a  respectable  fortune. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  upright  in  his 
dealings,  intelligent  and  liberal ;  was  officially  connected  with 
several  monetary  institutions,  and  for  the  last  seven  years  of  his 
life  was  president  of  the  First  National  Bank.  His  death  was 
tragical.  He  called  at  the  United  States  Hotel,  in  Boston,  and 
retired  to  a  bathing  room.  Remaining  so  long  as  to  excite 
alarm,  the  door  was  forced  open  and  his  lifeless  body  found,  in 
such  a  condition  as  to  leave  no  doubt  that  his  death  was  volun- 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/3. 


59 


tary.  His  garments  were  found  disposed  in  neat  order,  and 
every  thing  indicated  premeditation.  No  satisfactory  reason 
could  be  given  for  the  act,  though  he  had  somewhat  failed  in 
health  and  become  depressed  in  spirits.  On  the  day  of  his 
funeral  respect  was  shown  for  his  memory  by  the  closing  of  a 
number  of  prominent  business  places,  and  the  attendance  of  many 
friends. 

The  Soldiers'  Monument,  in  Park  square,  was  dedicated  on 
Wednesday,  Sept.  1 7.  The  day  was  pleasant,  and  Lynn  perhaps 
never  before  witnessed  a  grander  demonstration.  A  long  pro- 
cession, consisting  of  military  organizations,  associations  of  vari- 
ous kinds,  and  the  fire  department,  marched  through  the  principal 
streets,  along  which  many  buildings  were  beautifully  decorated, 
the  City  Hall  especially  exhibiting  a  profuse  array  of  flags  and 
streamers,  with  various  emblematic  devices.  The  dedicatory 
exercises  were  held  on  a  platform  erected  for  the  purpose,  in 
front  of  the  City  Hall,  and  consisted  of  music  by  the  military 
bands,  singing  by  the  Lynn  Choral  Union,  prayer  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Biddle,  an  oration  by  Col.  E.  P.  Nettleton,  and  a  poem  by 
Mr.  E.  P.  Usher.  The  monument,  allegorical  and  classic,  was 
designed  by  John  A.  Jackson,  a  native  of  Maine,  but  resident 
of  Florence,  Italy.  The  casting  was  executed  at  Munich  in 
Bavaria,  and  the  whole  cost  was  ^30.000. 


Soldiers'  Monument, 
Park  Square.     Dedicated  Sept.  17,  1873. 


60  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  873. 

The  new  stone  and  brick  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Uni- 
versaHst  society,  on  Nahant  street,  was  dedicated  on  the  nth 
of  September,  "^the  sermon  being  preached  by  Rev.  Elbridge  G. 
Brooks.     The  corner  stone  was  laid  May  27,  1872. 

Concrete  crossings  began  to  be  laid  in  the  streets  this  year. 

The  branch  of  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  from  Swampscott  to 
Marblehead,  was  opened  for  travel,  Oct.  20,  its  length  being  four 
miles. 

There  was  a  grand  masonic  parade  in  Lynn,  Oct.  22,  on  the 
occasion  of  constituting  the  Olivet  Commandery,  installing  the 
officers,  and  dedicating  the  hall.  The  day  was  fair,  and  the 
proceedings  attracted  much  attention. 

October  of  this  year  was  found  to  average  the  warmest  in  forty 
years  ;  but  the  next  April  averaged  the  coldest  in  fifty  years, 
rain  or  snow  falling  on  thirteen  days,  and  there  being  but  nine 
clear  days. 

In  the  course  of  local  discussions  and  disagreements  as  to  the 
source  from  which  the  public  supply  of  water  should  be  drawn, 
a  good  deal  of  false  alarm  was  created  during  the  summer  and 
fall.  Some  asserted  that  an  extraordinary  amount  of  sickness  had 
prevailed  in  the  previous  year,  and  that  it  was  in  part  at  least 
attributable  to  the  impurity  of  the  water  of  Breed's  pond,  which 
at  that  time  furnished  the  supply.  This  induced  the  Lynn  Med- 
ical society  to  publish  the  result  of  their  investigations,  which 
they  did  in  the  following  terms  :  "  Whereas,  it  has  been  generally 
reported  that  the  last  year  has  been  unusually  sickly,  and  the  use 
of  the  water  lately  introduced  has  been  assigned  as  the  cause, 
therefore.  Resolved,  That  the  past  year  has  been  unusually 
healthy,  and  probably  the  improved  health  of  our  city  is  in  some 
measure  to  be  attributed  to  the  use  of  water  more  wholesome 
than  that  of  wells,  many  of  which  are  contaminated." 

The  Friends'  Biennial  Conference  was  held  in  Lynn  this  year, 
commencing  Nov.  19.  A  large  number  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  were  present,  and  the  meeting-house,  in  Silsbee  street, 
being  inadequate  for  their  accommodation,  some  of  the  meetings 
were  held  in  the  First  Universalist  church,  on  Nahant  street, 
which  was  courteously  tendered  for  their  use,  other  houses 
of  worship  being  also  offered.  Many  leading  members  of  the 
denomination,  male  and  female,  were  present  to  give  their  testi- 
mony, to  advise,  and  to  discuss  ;  and  it  was  considered  a  season 
of  much  spiritual  profit  as  well  as  social  enjoyment.  The  attend- 
ants from  abroad  were  hospitably  entertained  by  our  people  of  all 
denominations,  and  on  their  departure  expressed  much  satis- 
faction. 

The  three  masted  schooner  Robert  Raikes,  of  Provincetown, 
from  Digby,  N.  S.,  struck  on  the  "outer  ledge,"  Swampscott, 
near  midnight,  Nov.    17,  during  a  severe  storm,  and  was  com- 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 874.  6l 

pletely  wrecked.  All  on  board  perished.  The  fatal  place  was 
near  where  the  Tedesco  was  wrecked,  in  1857,  and  also  the  Fred 
Bliss,  in  1870.  There  were  five  persons  on  board  the  Robert 
Raikes.  The  captain's  name  was  John  Ellis,  and  his  brother 
William  was  also  on  board.  And  it  was  a  rather  remarkable 
coincidence  that  another  brother,  attached  to  another  vessel,  was 
lost  during  the  same  storm.  Capt.  Ellis's  body  was  not  recov- 
ered till  Nov.  30. 

A  prize  fight  was  interrupted  by  the  police  at  the  Half-way 
House,  on  the  Turnpike,  on  the  morning  of  Dec.  31.  The  prin- 
cipals were  from  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  Boston,  and  most  of  the 
company  were  from  those  places.  The  principals  and  several 
others  were  made  prisoners.  The  fight  was  going  on  in  an 
apartment  of  the  house,  and  it  was  with  great  skill  and  caution 
that  the  officers  eluded  the  sentinels  and  made  the  captures. 

Three  masted  coasting  schooners,  which  for  some  years  had 
occasionally  appeared  in  our  harbor,  began  now  to  be  quite  com- 
mon, that  style  of  vessel  proving  to  be  much  more  readily  and 
economically  worked  than  the  square  rigged  of  equal  tonnage. 

During  the  year,  515.952  mail  letters  and  39.162  drop  letters 
were  delivered  in  the  city  by  post-office  carriers. 

Birch  Pond  was  formed  this  year,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
an  additional  supply  of  water,  by  building  a  dam  across  Birch 
Brook  valley,  on  the  east  of  Walnut  street,  near  the  Saugus  line. 
The  pond  was  made  to  cover  about  sixty-seven  acres. 

18  74. 

On  the  morning  of  January  10  a  fire  commenced  in  the  stable 
of  the  Glenmere  line  of  stages,  on  Chatham  street,  and  consumed 
the  building,  several  tons  of  hay,  and  other  property.  The  most 
serious  matter,  however,  was  the  death  of  ten  horses.  The  whole 
value  of  the  property  lost  was  $2,500. 

George  W.  Keene  died  suddenly  in  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel, 
New  York,  Jan  27,  aged  58.  He  was  a  native  of  Leicester,  in 
Worcester  county,  but  from  his  early  youth,  with  the  exception 
of  one  or  two  brief  intervals,  was  a  resident  of  Lynn  ;  and  his 
sudden  death  created  more  than  ordinary  sensation,  for  he  was 
widely  known  as  an  active  business  man  as  well  as  for  his  genial 
manners  and  benevolent  disposition.  He  belonged  to  a  Quaker 
family,  his  mother  being  the  accredited  preacher  spoken  of  under 
date  1867;  but  he  early  adopted  the  Unitarian  faith  and  held 
fast  to  it  to  the  end  of  his  life.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities  and  attained  to  high  ranks  in  the 
lodges  ;  had  a  cultivated  mind  and  took  considerable  interest  in 
literary  and  educational  affairs  ;  was  thoughtful,  and  in  his  med- 
itations and  reasonings  did  not  always  pursue  the  beaten  track. 


62  ANNALS   OF    LYNN 1 874. 

He  became  an  adherent  of  the  doctrines  of  the  spiritualists, 
though  perhaps  in  a  modified  form,  and  held  a  newspaper  discus- 
sion on  some  points  of  their  faith,  with  President  Felton  of 
Harvard  college.  For  almost  the  whole  of  his  business  life  he 
was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes,  the  great  staple 
production  of  Lynn,  and  by  his  enterprise  in  seeking  out  new 
inventions  and  introducing  the  most  approved  machinery  did  his 
full  share  in  elevating  the  trade  from  the  position  of  ill-requited 
toil  to  one  of  profit  and  commanding  importance.  The  circum- 
stances of  his  death  were  peculiarly  afflictive  to  his  friends.  He 
left  home  on  Monday,  accompanying  a  niece  to  New  York,  and 
on  Tuesday  evening,  having  taken  lodgings  at  the  St.  Nicholas, 
as  -  he  was  passing  through  the  entrance  hall,  fell,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  expired.  He  was  buried  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  in 
the  original  purchase,  laying  out,  and  dedication  of  which,  he 
took  a  lively  interest.  The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the 
Unitarian  church,  on  the  corner  of  South  Common  and  Church 
streets,  on  a  day  of  intense  cold  and  amid  the  buffetings  of  a 
raging  snow  storm.  Mr.  Keene  married  a  daughter  of  Hon. 
Isaiah  Breed,  and  by  her  had  eight  children,  five  of  whom  died 
in  infancy.  One  daughter,  Mary  B.,  and  two  sons,  William  G. 
S.  and  Frank,  survived  him. 

The  act  incorporating  the  Lynn  "  Home  for  Aged  Women," 
was  passed  Feb.  6,  the  institution  being  "  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
viding for  the  support  of  aged  indigent  females,  not  otherwise 
provided  for."  The  institution  was  opened  with  a  banquet  and 
informal  reception,  on  the  evening  of  April  20,  1876,  a  large 
company  assembling. 

The  Irish  organizations  of  Essex  county  joined  in  a  grand 
celebration  of  St,  Patrick's  day,  March  17,  in  Lynn.  The  pro- 
cession was  long,  and  quite  imposing  —  pronounced  by  some  to 
be  one  of  the  three  finest  ever  seen  here,  eight  bands  of  music 
enlivening  the  long  march,  and  the  showy  regalia  and  banners 
attracting  much  attention.  A  number  of  buildings  were  hand- 
somely decorated.     The  weather,  however,  was  very  unfavorable. 

A  lady  in  Lynnfield  gave  birth  to  three  children,  at  one  time, 
in  March,  making  up  a  family  of  four  infants,  under  the  age  of 
thirteen  months,  and  eight  children,  all  under  twelve  years.  The 
parents  not  being  in  very  flourishing  pecuniary  circumstances, 
were  deservedly  the  recipients  of  many  useful  gifts. 

Comrade  George  S.  Merrill  was  the  orator  on  the  Soldiers* 
Memorial  day.  May  30. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  some  workmen  in  digging  a  cellar 
on  Pine  street,  in  Swampscott,  exhumed  what  were  undoubtedly 
the  remains  of  an  Indian,  probably  of  the  ancient  Naumkeag 
tribe.     Their  situation  showed  that  the  person  was  buried  in  a 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 874.  63 

sitting  posture.  Other  remains,  supposed  to  be  Indian,  were 
found  a  short  time  afterward  in  the  same  vicinity.  Aboriginal 
remains,  as  they  undoubtedly  were,  were  also  dug  up  in  Lynn, 
near  the  corner  of  Ocean  and  King  streets. 

The  act  incorporating  the  Flax  Pond  Water  Company  was 
passed  June  2,  being  granted  by  the  legislature  for  the  purpose 
of  supplying  with  pure  water  "  the  city  of  Lynn  or  any  city  or 
cities,  town  or  towns."  It  enabled  the  corporators,  their  asso- 
ciates and  successors,  for  the  purpose  named,  to  purchase  and 
hold  the  waters  of  Flax,  Sluice  and  Cedar  ponds  in  Lynn,  and 
Nell's  pond,  in  Lynnfield,  together  with  the  tributary  streams 
and  a  suitable  width  of  land  around  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the 
water,  and  such  other  lands  as  might  be  required  for  the  neces- 
sary works. 

Died,  in  Peabody,  June  6,  Oliver  B.  Coolidge,  aged  'j6.  He 
was  for  many  years  a  resident  of  Lynn  and  an  acting  justice 
of  the  peace,  in  which  capacity  his  services  were  much  sought 
for,  as  his  judgment  and  discretion  were  greatly  relied  on.  For 
several  years  he  was  ticket-master  at  the  Central  rail-road  station, 
for  which  position  his  patience  and  urbanity  well  qualified  him. 
He  was  a  native  of  Woburn,  and  seven  years  town  clerk  there, 
likewise  representing  the  town  in  the  General  Court.  One  of  the 
most  notable  points  in  his  life  was  his  association  with  Mr.  Good- 
year in  his  early  attempts  to  vulcanize  India  rubber  ;  and  it  was 
interesting  to  hear  his  details  about  the  experiments  on  an  old 
cooking  stove,  amid  poverty  and  every  sort  of  annoyance  and 
discouragement. 

The  brick  house  of  worship  of  the  Washington  Street  Baptist 
Society,  corner  of  Washington  and  Essex  streets,  was  dedicated 
on  Wednesday  evening,  June  lo,  the  corner  stone  having  been 
laid  on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  Oct.  5,  1872. 

A  comet,  with  what  is  popularly  called  a  feather  tail,  was  visible 
this  year,  in  the  northwest,  being  brightest  about  the  middle  of 
July. 

Base-ball  had,  for  the  last  few  years  become  so  popular  a  sport 
in  different  parts  of  the  country  as  to  be  spoken  of  as  the  national 
game.  Many  of  our  active  young  men  formed  themselves  into 
clubs  and  played  match  games  with  those  from  other  places,  some 
times  from  other  states.  Lynn  Common  was  frequently  the 
scene  of  these  friendly  contests,  which  called  together  crowds 
of  spectators,  before  whom,  in  their  often  rather  picturesque  cos- 
tumes, and  repeatedly  in  the  fervid  heat  of  summer,  they  exhibited 
their  skill  and  prowess.  But  this  year  a  convenient  ground  for 
the  games  was  enclosed  on  the  south  side  of  the  old  Turnpike,  a 
short  distance  east  of  Saugus  river. 

Died,  Sept.  2,  John  B.  Wormstead,  aged  85.  He  was  a  native 
of  Marblehead,  but  long  a  resident  of  Lynn.     In  the  war  of  1 812 


64  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 874. 

he  was  a  privateersman,  and  assisted  in  the  capture  of  seven 
prizes.  One  of  the  vessels  had  a  large  amount  of  specie  on  board, 
designed  for  the  payment  of  British  troops,  and  while  under 
convoy  for  an  American  port,  Mr.  Wormstead,  being  on  guard 
over  the  prisoners,  discovered  a  mutinous  movement,  just  in  time 
to  prevent  the  disasters  of  a  recapture. 

The  crew  of  the  fishing  schooner  Laughing  Water,  of  Swamp- 
scott,  on  the  nth  of  Sept.  captured,  off  Boon  island,  a  sword 
fish,  weighing,  when  dressed,  six  hundred  and  ninety  pounds. 

John  H.  Smith,  aged  23,  driver  of  Empire  steam  fire  engine 
No,  5,  was  killed  on  the  evening  of  Sept.  18,  by  being  run  over 
by  a  hose  carriage  when  starting  at  an  alarm  of  fire.  His  head 
was  crushed  by  one  of  the  wheels.  He  was  buried  from  the 
Washington  Street  Baptist  Church,  on  Sunday,  the  entire  fire 
department  attending,  and  also  one  or  two  societies  of  which 
he  was  a  member. 

Wong  Chin  Foo,  a  native  Chinese,  lectured  in  Odd  Fellows' 
Hall,  on  Sunday  evening,  Oct.  11,  to  a  large  audience.  He 
appeared  in  native  costume,  and  his  subject  was  "  Confusius,  the 
Founder  and  Teacher  of  the  Chinese  Religion."  He  spoke  good 
English,  and  his  lecture,  giving  a  very  favorable  account  of  his 
countrymen,  was  listened  to  with  much  interest.  He  considered 
the  religion  of  Confusius  more  promotive  of  the  good  of  the  four 
hundred  millions  of  people  by  whom  it  is  embraced,  than  any 
other  could  be,  if  indeed  it  were  not  the  best  for  the  whole  world. 
He  endeavored  to  remove  from  the  minds  of  his  hearers  the  false 
belief  that  his  was  a  nation  wholly  given  to  idolatry,  and  to 
impress  upon  them  the  fact  that  multitudes  of  profound  scholars 
and  philosophers  were  to  be  found  there,  that  moral  science  was 
cultivated  and  virtuous  living  enforced. 

During  the  last  week  of  October  the  tides  ran  lower,  as  was 
calculated,  than  at  any  time  for  forty  years.  The  cause  was, 
partially  at  least,  without  doubt,  the  long-continued  mild  weather 
and  oft-shore  winds. 

A  fire  commenced  in  the  furniture  establishment  of  G.  B, 
French,  in  Union  street,  on  the  night  of  Nov  9,  destroying  large 
portions  of  several  stocks  of  goods.  The  premises  were  the  same 
on  which  a  fire  occurred  Aug.  25,  1873. 

A  mechanics'  fair  was  opened  in  the  building  in  Market  street, 
adjoining  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  and  known  as  the  Academy  of  Mu- 
sic, then  just  erected,  Dec.  22.  Many  useful  mechanical  contri- 
vances and  interesting  mechanical  productions  were  exhibited  by 
Lynn  artisans  and  tradesmen,  and  by  others  from  abroad.  One 
rather  peculiar  feature  was  the  introduction  of  dramatic  enter- 
tainments during  the  evenings. 

For  two  or  three  years,  business  affairs  in  Lynn  were  in  a 
greatly  depressed  condition ;  indeed  the  same  was  true  of  almost 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 874.  65 

every  part  of  the  country.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  failures 
among  the  prominent  shoe  manufacturers,  as  well  as  among  the 
smaller  tradesmen  and  mechanics.  Many  operatives  were  out 
of  employment  for  long  intervals,  and  it  was  generally  believed 
that  some  families  of  honest  mechanics  and  laborers  suffered, 
especially  in  winter,  for  what  were  commonly  considered  the 
necessaries  of  life.  Real  estate  declined  very  much  in  value, 
rents  fell,  and  many  tenements  were  vacant.  Yet  the  cost  of 
most  articles  of  family  consumption  remained  high.  The  better 
kinds  at  least  of  bread  stuffs  and  butcher's  meat,  sold  at  prices 
nearly  as  high  as  those  of  war  time  ;  and  the  same  may  be  said 
of  articles  of  clothing.  The  whole  history  of  the  country  shows 
that  such  seasons  of  depression  follow  seasons  of  great  apparent 
thrift,  or  inflation,  as  perhaps  they  might  in  most  instances  be 
properly  called,  as  surely  as  night  follows  day,  mainly  attributable, 
no  doubt,  to  the  extravagance  induced  by  the  prosperous  interv'als. 
Extravagance  in  dress,  among  women,  was  a  notable  feature  of 
the  time,  and  many  a  conscientious  though  possibly  timid  young 
man  doubtless  avoided  a  matrimonial  connection  from  sheer 
apprehension  that  he  would  be  unable  to  supply  the  demands 
upon  his  purse. 

About  this  time  there  were  a  great  many  vagrant  wayfarers, 
called  Tramps,  homeless  wanderers,  drifting  from  place  to  place, 
seeking  food  by  day  at  the  hand  of  charity,  and  at  night  lodging 
in  police  stations,  poor-houses,  or  other  similar  retreats.  During 
the  winter  of  this  year  an  average  of  something  rising  four  hun- 
dred a  month  were  thus  entertained  in  the  basement  of  the  City 
Hall  —  provided  with  a  supper  and  lodging,  and  a  frugal  break- 
fast to  start  on  in  the  morning.  Lynn  enjoyed  a  good  reputation 
among  the  fraternity,  as  appeared  by  a  memorandum  found  on 
one  of  them,  detailing  his  experience  of  the  hospitalities  of  differ- 
ent places,  and  giving  a  sort  of  bill  of  fare  by  which  they  were 
entertained.  The  lodgings  here  were  described  in  the  memoran- 
dum as  being  warm,  and  the  food  better  than  in  most  cities  ; 
facts  which  in  a  measure,  no  doubt,  accounted  for  the  favor  of 
repeated  visits  from  some  of  them.  Occasionally  rare  characters 
appeared  among  the  motley  crews.  One  evening  a  hatless  orator 
rose  up  and  entertained  the  crowd  of  "  brother  tramps,"  as  he 
called  them,  with  an  address  containing  many  sensible  as  well  as 
humorous  points,  and  delivered  in  a  style  that  showed  he  had 
been  trained  to  a  different  course  of  life.  An  artist  of  more  than 
common  skill  and  taste  also  appeared  one  stormy  night.  Several 
off-hand  sketches  that  he  made  were  very  spirited  and  attracted 
much  attention.  But  the  entertainment  of  the  increasing  num- 
bers of  this  questionable  class  began  to  be  intolerably  burdensome 
in  many  places,  and  early  in  1875  the  legislature  interposed  to 
abate  the  nuisance,  passing  a  law  enabling  cities  and  towns  to 

5 


66  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  8/4. 

require  all  tramps  to  perform  a  reasonable  amount  of  labor  in 
return  for  food  and  lodging.  This,  together  with  the  fact  that 
our  city  authorities  somewhat  reduced  their  rations  and  assigned 
them  less  enjoyable  lodging  quarters  had  a  tendency  gradually 
to  reduce  the  number  who  sought  relief  here,  though  it  was 
some  years  before  there  was  any  really  great  decrease,  as  appears 
by  the  following  showing  for  eight  years  :  Number  of  tramps 
lodged  in  Lynn  in  1871,  1.392.  In  1872,  1.017.  In  1873,  2.132. 
In  1874,  3.294.  In  1875,  2.958.  In  1876,  2.825.  In  1877, 
2.901.     In  1878,  2.500. 

Christmas  was  very  generally  observed  this  year ;  indeed  for 
manyyears  the  observance  of  the  day  has  been  gaining  in  popular 
favor,  over  the  strange  old  puritanical  prejudices.  In  1856  it 
was  made  a  legal  holiday  by  legislative  enactment.  The  festival 
of  Easter,  too,  has  come  to  be  celebrated  by  most  of  our  religious 
societies  in  a  manner  calculated  to  rejoice  the  hearts  of  all  good 
churchmen,  the  floral  decorations  of  the  churches  in  some  in- 
stances being  superb. 

A  rather  novel  kind  of  recreative  exercise  was  inaugurated 
during  the  winter  of  this  year,  in  the  form  of  spelling  matches. 
Large  classes  of  old  and  young,  male  and  female,  would  meet  in 
churches  or  other  convenient  places,  with  spelling  masters  and 
umpires  and  engage  in  orderly  contests,  each  member,  on  missing 
a  word  ignominiously  retiring,  and  those  successfully  passing  the 
orthographic  ordeal  receiving  prizes.  These  healthful  memoriter 
exercises  afforded  much  amusement,  and  were  sometimes  quite 
productive  in  a  pecuniary  way,  an  admission  fee  being  usually 
required  of  spectators. 

For  many  years.  Fairs,  as  they  were  called,  had  been  frequently 
held  in  public  halls,  church  vestry  rooms,  and  other  convenient 
places,  at  which  a  great  variety  of  the  lighter  articles  of  clothing, 
musical  instruments,  and  all  kinds  of  fancy  articles,  together  with 
flowers  and  refreshments  were  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of  some 
benevolent  enterprise,  in  aid  of  church  funds,  or  other  worthy 
object.  All  the  ordinary  enticements  of  young  lady  solicitors, 
music,  and  occasionally  a  merry  dance  were  resorted  to.  But 
seriously  objectionable  features  by  degrees  crept  in,  till  games 
of  chance  and  lotteries  so  extensively  prevailed  that  it  became 
necessary  to  do  something  to  prevent  the  many  serious  breaches 
of  the  law,  and  of  fair  and  honest  traffic.  Most  of  the  principal 
clergymen  of  the  city  during  the  winter  of  this  year  signed  an 
earnest  protest  which  was  published  in  the  newspapers,  and  for 
a  time  the  more  objectionable  doings  were  discontinued  ;  but  by 
degrees,  as  generally  happens  in  such  cases,  similar  evils,  under 
other  names,  began  to  appear. 

One  thousand  and  thirty-eight  dogs  were  licensed  in  Lynn 
this  year. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/5.  ^'J 

1875  . 

Dedicatory  exercises  were  held  in  Trinity  (Methodist)  Church, 
Tower  Hill,  Jan.  13,  though  the  main  body  of  the  house  remained 
uncompleted. 

During  the  latter  part  of  January,  Eliza  Ann,  the  nineteenth 
wife  of  the  Mormon  seer,  Brigham  Young  lectured  in  Lynn  on 
her  "  Life  in  Bondage."  The  peculiarities  of  the  Mormon  reli- 
gion and  the  practice  of  polygamy  as  it  existed  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Canaan  were  dwelt  upon.  The  picture  she  drew  was  a  sad  one, 
both  in  its  moral  and  social  aspect.  But  why  she  should  have 
accepted  the  nineteenth  marital  position  and  then  claimed  that 
all  the  wrong  was  on  the  other  side  did  not  seem  to  be  satisfacto- 
rily explained. 

On  Sunday,  Feb.  21,  the  eighty-fourth  anniversary  of  the  for- 
mation of  the  First  Methodist  Society  of  Lynn  was  observed. 
Appropriate  services  were  held  in  the  old  Common  street  meet- 
ing-house, that  being  the  first  Methodist  house  of  worship  in 
New  England. 

A  codfish  of  the  extraordinary  weight  of  ninety-six  pounds 
was  caught  in  the  offing,  March  30. 

The  Lynn  Hospital  was  formally  opened,  March  31.  The  old 
Phillips  mansion,  on  Waterhill  street,  the  salubrious  situation 
of  which  strongly  recommended  it,  had  been  procured  and  fitted 
up  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  convenient  for  the  purpose. 
A  number  of  prominent  citizens  attended  the  opening  and  some 
made  appropriate  remarks. 

The  centennial  celebration  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  took 
place  on  Monday,  April  19,  on  the  territory  where  the  battle 
occurred.  Mayor  Lewis  and  several  members  of  the  city  govern- 
ment attended,  all,  however,  bearing  their  own  expenses,  the  city 
council  having  refused  to  make  any  appropriation.  The  Lynn 
Light  Infantry,  accompanied  by  a  full  band,  also  attended,  as  well 
as  a  multitude  of  private  citizens.  President  Grant  and  some 
other  prominent  officials  from  Washington  were  present.  The 
day  was  pleasant,  excepting  the  prevalence  of  a  high,  chilling 
wind.  Such  an  immense  concourse  assembled  that  all  the  public 
conveyances  were  excessively  crowded,  and  a  great  many  were 
compelled  to  go  hungry  as  the  supply  of  provisions  was  altogether 
inadequate. 

A  demonstration  was  made  in  Lynn,  May  22,  in  favor  of  the 
Boston  Revere  Beach  and  Lynn  Rail-road,  the  first  narrow-gauge 
line  in  this  vicinity,  which  was  then  in  process  of  construction. 
A  considerable  number  of  men,  young  and  old,  volunteered  the 
work  of  half  a  day  with  shovels  and  picks.  A  procession  was 
formed  under  the  leadership  of  Col.  John  Nichols,  one  of  the 
oldest   men   in   town,  and  accompanied  by  a  platoon  of  police 


68  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  875. 

officers  and  a  couple  of  bands  of  music,  moved  through  several 
streets,  reaching  the  scene  of  their  labor  about  the  middle  of  the 
afternoon.  After  performing  a  small  amount  of  work  —  the  main 
purpose,  no  doubt,  being  rather  to  show  good-will  towards  the 
enterprise,  than  to  help  much  otherwise  —  they  gathered,  in 
number  about  a  hundred  and  fifty,  in  a  hall  in  Munroe  street, 
and  there  partook  of  an  entertainment,  after  which  speeches 
were  made  and  many  good  wishes  towards  the  road  and  congrat- 
ulations on  its  fair  prospects  were  expressed. 

The  great  travelling  show,  known  as  the  hippodrome  of  P.  T. 
Barnum,  the  most  noted  showman  of  the  age,  visited  Lynn  on 
Saturday,  May  29.  It  is  not  probable  that  any  exhibition  of  the 
kind  ever  exceeded  this  in  attractiveness.  The  multitude  of 
male  and  female  performers  and  attendants,  decked  in  unique 
and  showy  costumes,  the  numerous  trained  and  wild  animals, 
the  historic  and  classic  equipages  and  appendages,  which  appeared 
in  the  long  procession  that  traversed  the  principal  streets  on  the 
pleasant  morning  of  their  entrance,  called  forth  throngs  of  specta- 
tors, old  and  young.  The  magnitude  of  this  aggregation  of  circus, 
menagerie,  and  spectacle  could  warrant  exhibition  only  in  the 
cities  and  larger  towns.  The  tents  were  pitched  in  the  Fairchild 
field,  so  called,  on  Boston  street,  extending  back  to  the  vicinity 
of  Lover's  Leap,  and  the  principal  one  was  said  to  be  sufficient 
to  accommodate  12.000  persons.  Great  numbers  attended,  not 
only  of  our  own  people,  but  from  other  places.  A  special  rail- 
road train  was  run  from  Salem  and  Marblehead.  During  the 
afternoon  a  balloon  was  sent  up,  and  after  a  short,  successful 
trip,  came  down  in  Lynnfield, 

Decoration  day.  May  30,  was  duly  observed.  Gen.  A.  F.  Ste- 
vens, of  Nashua,  N.  H.,  was  the  orator. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  the  great  centennial  celebration  of  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  took  place  in  Boston.  The  Legislature 
had  made  it  a  legal  holiday,  the  weather  proved  remarkably 
favorable,  and  there  was  an  almost  entire  suspension  of  business 
in  Lynn.  Extra  rail-road  trains  ran  and  multitudes  visited  the 
city  to  see  the  grand  military  and  civic  processional  display.  On 
the  preceding  night  some  famous  bonfires  were  lighted  here,  the 
most  conspicuous  ones  on  High  Rock  and  Reservoir  Hill.  The 
light  of  the  illumination  in  Boston  was  distinctly  seen  in  Lynn. 
This  celebration,  by  the  popular  voice,  both  north  and  south,  was 
pronounced  to  be  more  effectual  than  any  other  occurrence  since 
the  civil  war,  in  reestablishing  the  old  brotherly  feeling  between 
the  different  sections  of  the  Union. 

The  corner  stone  of  St.  Joseph's  (Roman  Catholic)  church,  in 
Union  street,  was  laid  on  Sunday,  July  4. 

The  Boston  Revere  Beach  and  Lynn  Rail-road  was  formally 
opened  for  travel  on  Thursday,  July  22.     After  the  directors  and 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 8/6.  69 

invited  company  had  passed  over  the  road,  a  collation  was  had 
at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  at  the  close  of  which  speeches  were  made 
and  congratulations  interchanged.  The  regular  hourly  passenger 
trains  commenced  running  July  29,  on  which  day  1.075  passen- 
gers were  conveyed.  A  few  interesting  Indian  relics  were  found 
during  the  excavations. 

The  famous  sea-serpent  was  alleged  by  several  credible  persons 
to  have  been  seen  by  them,  during  August,  not  far  from  Egg 
Rock.  He  was  described,  so  far  as  his  form  could  be  discerned, 
to  be  of  glossy  black,  with  some  white  on  the  under  parts  ;  the 
head  resembling  that  of  a  lizard,  long,  flat,  and  from  twenty-four 
to  thirty  inches  across  ;  the  mouth  large  and  occasionally  widely 
opened  ;  the  eyes  large  and  staring.  He  sometimes  raised  up 
his  head  six  or  eight  feet  and  then  suddenly  submerged  it.  Some 
accounts  gave  the  appearance  of  a  flipper  or  sort  of  foot,  which 
strongly  indicated  some  such  animal  as  the  supposed  extinct 
ichthyosaurus  or  plesiosaurus.  He  was  also  alleged  to  have  been 
seen  again  in  the  waters  of  Lynn  and  Swampscott  in  November. 
An  account  likewise  appeared  in  the  newspapers  of  a  furious 
combat  between  a  serpentine  monster  and  a  whale,  as  witnessed 
by  the  officers  and  crew  of  a  vessel  on  the  southern  coast. 

A  General  Convention  of  Universalists  of  the  United  States 
commenced  a  session  in  Lynn,  on  Wednesday,  Oct.  20,  and 
continued  three  days.  The  weather  was  favorable  and  the  at- 
tendance large.  Delegates  were  present  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  one  hundred  and  fort}^  ministers  constituting  the  clerical 
representation.  Much  christian  courtesy  was  extended  by  people 
of  all  denominations.  Among  the  speakers  on  the  closing  day 
of  the  session  was  a  full-blooded  Delaware  Indian,  an  accredited 
missionary  residing  in  Canada,  with  settlers  of  his  tribe. 

A  blackfish,  ten  feet  in  length,  and  weighing  three  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  was  found  stranded  on  Long  Beach,  Nov.  2, 
having  probably  ventured  too  far  towards  the  shore  during  the 
night. 

1876. 

This,  the  Centennial  Year  of  the  Republic,  will  be  remembered 
for  the  fervor  with  which  it  was  observed  by  all  classes,  and  the 
magnificence  of  the  displays,  military,  industrial,  and  indeed  of 
every  kind  that  enlivened  patriotism  could  devise.  Yet  it  was  a 
year  during  which  there  was  great  business  depression  through- 
out the  country.  Had  times  been  prosperous  and  means  abun- 
dant it  is  quite  possible  Young  America  would  have  overleaped 
his  proprieties.  The  most  important  enterprise,  perhaps,  that 
marked  the  year,  was  the  World's  Exposition,  at  Philadelphia, 
which  continued  open  six  months  —  from  May  10  to  November 
10.     Great  crowds  attended.     "  Excursion  parties  "  were  formed 


JO  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  876. 

in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  hastened  on  to  Philadelphia  in  a 
pleasant  and  economical  way.  The  whole  great  undertaking 
was  eminently  successful,  all  the  principal  foreign  countries 
heartily  joining  with  splendid  contributions.  The  Lynn  exhibit, 
though  not  very  large,  was  varied  and  satisfactory,  pertaining 
almost  exclusively  to  the  shoe  and  leather  interest.  The  speci- 
mens were  much  admired  by  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
and  from  abroad.  Some  twenty-five  manufacturers  had  their 
goods  displayed  in  an  elegant  case,  over  which  was  this  announce- 
ment :  "  Lynn,  Mass.,  greeting :  The  Shoemanufacturers  of  Lynn 
desire  to  open  trade  with  foreign  countries,  and  are  ready  at  any 
time  to  receive  orders  from  Cuba,  South  America,  Mexico,  West 
Indies,  or  any  other  market.  We  make  the  very  finest  and  the 
cheapest  shoes  made  in  this  country.  We  claim  that  our  facili- 
ties, wkh  our  methods,  organization  and  machinery,  are  not 
excelled  for  producing  all  grades  of  sewed  shoes  at  the  smallest 
possible  cost.  We  make  what  is  called  for."  Awards  were 
made  by  the  Exposition  judges  to  several  Lynn  manufacturers. 

The  City  Item,  a  weekly  newspaper,  was  commenced  on  Sat- 
urday, January  8,  by  Horace  N.  Hastings. 

A  cat  show,  said  to  have  been  the  first  in  the  country,  though 
not  uncommon  in  Europe,  was  opened  in  Exchange  Hall,  Market 
street,  Feb.  29,  and  proved  to  be  quite  interesting.  A  number 
of  the  feline  specimens  were  really  beautiful,  some  showed  re- 
markable traits  of  sagacity  and  cunning,  and  others  wonderful 
progress  in  training.  The  weight  of  the  heaviest  was  fifteen 
and  a  half  pounds.     Prizes  were  awarded. 

A  grand  exhibition  of  babies  took  place  in  Music  Hall,  Central 
avenue,  March  4,  including  only  those  of  three  years  old  and 
under.  Much  interest  was  excited,  and  though  arrangements 
were  made  for  only  fifty,  the  applications  were  more  than  a  hun- 
dred. There  was  a  great  crowd  of  spectators,  and  prizes  were 
awarded  for  the  youngest,  the  fattest,  and  the  handsomest  babies. 
Among  the  latter  was  a  sprightly  little  mulatto.  On  the  27th 
of  the  same  month  another  similar  exhibition  took  place  in  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall,  on  Market  street,  at  which  seventy-two  entries 
were  made. 

A  violent  storm  —  the  "  equinoctial  "  —  which  suddenly  set  in 
on  the  evening  of  March  20,  did  much  damage.  Three  or  four 
of  the  fishing  jiggers  were  wrenched  from  their  moorings  and 
driven  upon  the  shore  or  wrecked  upon  the  rocks,  at  Swamps- 
cott.     It  was  called  as  violent  a  storm  as  any  within  twenty  years. 

The  beautiful  summer  residence  of  Charles  W.  Galloupe,  at 
Swampscott,  called  Bay  View  Cottage,  was  totally  destroyed  by 
fire,  April  2.     Loss,  between  ^50.000  and  $60,000. 

A  hair  seal,  weighing  ninety-five  pounds,  was  taken  off"  Swamps- 
cott, in  April. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNxM 1876.  7I 

"  Let  US  plant  a  Centennial  Tree,"  was  a  greeting  that  this 
year  was  heard  in  all  quarters,  and  heeded  by  many.  On  the 
afternoon  of  Saturday,  May  13,  a  party  assembled  in  the  little 
square  at  the  junction  of  Ash  and  South  streets,  for  an  object 
so  indicated.  They  procured  an  elm,  some  thirty  feet  in  height, 
and  put  it  in  position  as  the  stirring  tune  of  Yankee  Doodle  was 
being  played.  A  large  number  were  present,  patriotic  remarks 
made  and  songs  sung.  Several  enthusiastic  ladies  assisted  in 
shovelling  in  the  earth.  It  became  necessary,  however,  soon  to 
substitute  another,  as  the  original  tree  began  to  wither. 

May  30,  Decoration  Day,  was  duly  observed.  Gen.  W.  W. 
Blackmar,  of  Boston  delivered  the  oration. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  shoe  trade  in  Lynn,  a  good 
deal  of  the  manufacturing  was  done  at  establishments  on  either 
side  of  the  Common,  but  in  June  of  this  year  the  only  remaining 
factory  was  removed,  the  tendency  having  been,  ever  since  the 
building  of  the  rail-roads,  to  concentrate  in  other  quarters.  The 
manufactory  of  James  Purinton  and  Son,  which  stood  on  or  very 
near  the  site  of  the  old  Academy,  was  the  last  to  leave,  being 
removed  this  year. 

Dom  Pedro,  Emperor  of  Brazil,  passed  through  Lynn,  by  the 
Eastern  rail-road,  on  the  evening  of  June  9.  He  did  not  leave 
the  car,  and  but  few  had  a  glimpse  of  the  royal  party,  during  their 
short  pause  at  the  Central  station. 

That  much-dreaded  insect  known  as  the  Colorado  beetle, 
or  potato  bug,  first  made  its  appearance  here  in  the  summer. 
It  soon  came  to  be  a  most  destructive  pest,  descending  or  ascend- 
ing in  countless  numbers  and  in  a  few  hours  making  such  havoc 
with  whole  potato  fields,  as  to  render  it  necessary  to  replant. 

Probably  not  since  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  was  the 
anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  so  generally 
celebrated  throughout  the  country,  as  on  this,  the  centennial 
year.  In  Lynn,  however,  there  was  no  celebration  under  the 
auspices  of  the  municipal  authorities.  Discordant  views  among 
the  members  of  the  council,  and  disagreements  as  to  the  suitable 
sum  to  be  appropriated  to  meet  the  expenses,  were  the  direct 
cause  of-the  failure.  But  the  patriotism  of  the  people  could  not 
be  suppressed,  and  the  day  was  observed  in  various  becoming 
ways.  Before  the  morning  dawn,  bonfires  blazed  on  several 
of  the  most  commanding  heights.  There  was  a  grand  one  on 
High  Rock ;  but  the  most  noticeable  was  on  Reservoir  Hill. 
The  old  two-story  wooden  house,  on  Boston  street,  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  North  Federal,  known  as  the  Hart  house,  a  part 
of  which  constituted  the  dwelling  of  Richard  Haven,  one  of  the 
very  early  settlers,  and  head  of  the  great  Haven  family  now 
spread  all  over  the  country,  was,  by  the  willing  hands  of  Young 
America,  and  consent  of  the  owner,  torn  down,  a  day  or  two 


72  ANNALS   OF    LYNN —  1 876. 

before,  and  the  combustible  part  of  the  material  transported  to 
the  hill  just  named,  and  there  reared  in  a  pyramid  some  forty 
feet  in  height.  As  soon  as  the  midnight  hour  bad  struck,  the 
pile  was  lighted,  and  amid  the  shouts  and  cheers  and  songs  of 
the  sleepless  young  spirits  who  kept  vigil  around  the  centennial 
sacrifice,  it  disappeared  in  a  glorious  blaze.  Morning  dawned  ; 
and  soon  after  daylight,  there  was  a  parade  of  the  Antiques  and 
Horribles,  as  such  have  come  to  be  called  ;  in  other  words,  a 
caricature  display.  The  procession  marched  through  the  princi- 
pal streets  and  afforded  much  amusement  to  the  early  risers  by 
the  grotesque  decorations  and  costumes,  sarcastic  hits,  and  ludi- 
crous turn-outs  ;  some  members  of  the  city  government  who 
were  not  in  favor  of  an  appropriation  for  celebrating  the  day, 
being  remembered  in  a  manner  that  created  considerable  mirth. 
A  successful  semi-religious  celebration  was  held  in  the  First 
Methodist  meeting-house,  in  the  forenoon,  under  the  general 
direction  of  Rev.  Charles  D.  Hills,  minister  of  the  society  wor- 
shiping there.  The  principal  feature  of  the  exercises  consisted 
of  brief  addresses  on  the  following  topics  and  by  the  following 
named  persons  :  The  Day  We  Celebrate,  by  ex-Mayor  Thomas 
P.  Richardson  ;  The  United  States  of  America,  by  John  B. 
Alley,  ex-member  of  Congress  ;  Christianity  and  Our  Country, 
by  Rev.  Daniel  Steele  ;  The  American  Public  Schools,  by  Na- 
thaniel Hills,  Principal  of  the  High  School ;  The  American  Ju- 
diciary, by  Thomas  B.  Newhall,  ex-Judge  of  the  Police  Court ; 
Massachusetts,  by  George  H.  Chase,  ex-Postmaster ;  The  Cen- 
tennial History  of  Lynn,  by  James  R.  Newhall,  Judge  of  the 
Police  Court ;  Our  Army  and  Navy,  by  Capt.  George  T.  Newhall. 
And  Mrs.  Abbie  L.  Harris  was  appointed  to  read  the  Declaration 
of  Independence.  At  evening,  there  were  many  fine  displays  of 
fireworks,  at  private  residences.  The  "  Centennial  Memorial," 
published  soon  after,  by  order  of  the  City  Council,  contained  an 
Historical  Sketch,  by  James  R.  Newhall,  and  brief  Biographical 
Notices  of  all  the  Mayors,  with  Portraits  and  other  Illustrations. 
It  formed  a  volume  of  204  octavo  pages,  and  was  issued  in  a 
style  perhaps  as  creditable  to  our  printers  and  binders  as  any 
book  from  the  Lynn  press  up  to  that  time.  The  volume  was 
prepared  in  compliance  with  a  recommendation  of  Congress. 

A  serious  fire  occurred  on  the  southwest  side  of  Market  street, 
July  26.  The  principal  losses  were  —  by  R.  A.  Spalding  &  Co., 
dealers  in  dry  goods,  some  $5  000 ;  Mrs.  Lancey,  millinery  and 
fancy  goods,  ^2.000 ;  W.  T  Bowers,  photographer,  ^2.000, 

July  and  August  of  this  year  were  uncommonly  hot.  Visitors 
at  the  World's  Exposition,  in  Philadelphia,  suffered  much  ;  espe- 
cially those  from  northern  countries. 

Died,  December  17,  at  his  residence  in  Park  street,  Jacob 
Batchelder,  for  many  years  a  well-known  and  much-respected 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 877.  73 

resident.  He  was  born  in  Topsfield,  July  lo,  1806,  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  college  in  1830,  and  came  to  Lynn  in  1835,  com- 
mencing his  labors  here  as  principal  of  the  Academy.  In  that 
position  he  continued  till  the  establishment  of  the  High  School, 
in  1849,  of  which  he  became  the  first  principal,  and  remained 
till  1856,  in  which  year  he  went  to  Salem  to  take  charge  of  the 
High  School  of  that  city.  In  1861  he  returned  to  Lynn,  and 
took  his  former  position  in  our  High  School,  remaining,  how- 
ever, but  about  a  year,  and  then  closed  his  labors  as  a  teacher, 
after  pursuing  the  vocation  for  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
In  1862  he  was  appointed  librarian  of  the  Lynn  Free  Public 
Library,  and  that  office  he  continued  acceptably  to  fill  till  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  Town  Clerk  in  1847,  and  collector 
of  internal  revenue  several  years.  His  remains  were  buried  from 
the  Unitarian  church,  on  South  Common  street,  where  he  had 
worshipped  many  years,  and  the  funeral  service  was  attended  by 
a  large  number  of  the  most  venerable  citizens.  The  lives  of  his 
two  sons,  Charles  J.  and  George  W.,  were  lost  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  as  noted  under  date  1862.  Mr.  Batchelder  was  a  man 
of  clear  understanding,  genial  manners,  and  great  industry,  and 
should  be  long  remembered  as  one  who  really  did  much  for  the 
advancement  of  the  community  in  which  he  dwelt. 

A  splendid  meteor  passed  over  the  city  about  six  o'clock  on 
the  evening  of  December  20. 

The  fine  brick  fire  engine  house,  in  Federal  street,  was  built 
this  year. 

1877. 

The  Lynn  Home  for  Aged  Women  was  dedicated  February  15. 
It  was  the  eligible  building  on  North  Common  street,  erected  in 
1832  for  Nahant  Bank,  and  had  been  fitted  in  a  very  comfortable 
manner  for  the  reception  of  those  who  were  to  make  it  the  home 
of  their  declining  years. 

The  new  and  picturesque  Town  House  in  Saugus,  centre 
village,  was  dedicated  March  i.  Wendell  Phillips  was  chief 
orator,  and  all  the  exercises  were  appropriate  and  interesting. 
The  corner  stone  was  laid  Oct.  17,  1874,  ex-Governor  Banks 
delivering  an  address  on  the  occasion. 

Died,  March  13,  at  his  residence  on  Western  avenue,  Charles 
Merritt,  aged  72  years.  He  was  born  in  Bowdoinham,  Me.,  and 
was  a  son  of  Rev.  Timothy  Merritt,  one  of  the  early  ministers 
of  the  Methodist  itineracy.  Almost  the  whole  of  his  long  life 
was  spent  in  Lynn.  He  was  a  Deputy  SheriftTor  the  county,  about 
forty  years,  and  performed  the  perplexing  and  often  disagreeable 
duties  of  his  office  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner.  Before  the 
adoption  of  the  city  form  of  government  he  held  several  of  the 
most  important  municipal  offices,  including  that  of  chairman 


74  ANNALS    OF    LYNN iS//. 

of  the  Selectmen  ;  and  after  Lynn  became  a  city,  was  called  to 
continue  in  the  public  service  —  was  an  Alderman  in  the  second 
year's  board,  and  City  Clerk  five  years.  He  was  also  a  Repre- 
sentative in  the  General  Court,  and  United  States  Revenue  As- 
sessor. For  many  years  he  was  an  honored  member  of  the 
South  street  Methodist  church,  and  always  maintained  an  un- 
blemished character.  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  William  Breed, 
a  father  in  the  Quaker  faith,  and  they  reared  a  respectable  family, 
eight  sons  and  three  daughters  having  been  born  to  them.  Few 
men,  after  so  long  and  active  a  life  go  to  their  final  rest  more 
worthy  of  grateful  remembrance. 

The  velocity  of  the  wind  in  and  about  Lynn,  during  a  storm, 
March  g,  was  seventy-two  miles  an  hour. 

The  annual  session  of  the  New  England  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  commenced  in  Lynn,  in  the  old 
historic  Common  street  Methodist  meeting-house,  April  4,  and 
continued  one  week,  Bishop  Foster  presiding.  The  first  session 
of  the  Conference  here  was  held  in  1795,  in  an  unfinished  chapel 
which  occupied  the  same  site. 

Sweetser's  brick  block,  a  substantial  four-story  building,  at  the 
junction  of  Central  avenue  and  Oxford  street,  was  burned  on 
the  morning  of  April  7.  It  was  well  fitted  with  machinery  and 
other  appliances  for  the  prosecution  of  the  shoe  business,  on  a 
large  scale,  and  there  was  considerable  stock  in  the  different 
lofts.  The  loss,  including  that  of  an  adjacent  three-story  wooden 
building",  amounted  to  some  $115,000. 

The  last  building  on  Market  street  occupied  exclusivel}'-  as  a 
dwelling  was  removed  in  the  spring  of  this  year.  It  stood  on 
the  southwest  side,  between  Tremont  and  Summer  streets,  and 
was  first  owned  and  occupied  by  Dr.  Coffin. 

Some  excitement  prevailed  in  the  spring  of  this  year  regarding 
mad  dogs,  and  continued  many  months.  Two  or  three  fatal 
cases  of  hydrophobia  occurred.  The  city  authorities  ordered 
that  no  dogs  should  be  permitted  to  go  at  large  unmuzzled,  and 
many  canine  lives  were  sacrificed.  Samuel  A.  Parker,  of  Saugus, 
a  worthy  man,  of  middle  age,  died  of  hydrophobia,  April  17, 
having  been  bitten  by  a  rabid  dog,  January  15. 

A  marked  religious  revival  took  place  in  the  various  evangelical 
societies  of  Lynn,  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  and  many  were 
added  to  the  churches.  At  St.  Joseph's  (R.  C.)  meetings  in 
charge  of  four  Jesuit  fathers,  from  Chicago,  were  held,  com- 
mencing May  20,  which  excited  much  attention  and  were  at- 
tended by  crowds. 

Captain  Johnson,  the  intrepid  fisherman  who  did  his  part  in 
celebrating  the  centennial  year  by  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  his 
little  fishing  dory  "  Centennial,"  exhibited  his  memorable  craft 
in  Munroe  street,  in  April.     He  is  said  to  have  declared  that  a 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 877.  75 

million  of  dollars  would  not  tempt  him  to  again  undertake  such,  a 
fool-hardy  feat. 

Died,  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  May  2,  John  B.  Felton,  a  native  of  Sau- 
gus,  aged  48.  While  a  young  man  he  was  a  tutor  in  Harvard 
college,  but  settled  in  California  and  became  a  conspicuous  lawyer. 
He  was  twice  a  Republican  Presidential  Elector,  was  Mayor  of 
Oakland  and  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  office  of  U.  S. 
senator. 

On  the  evening  of  May  28  there  was  an  unusually  brilliant 
display  of  aurora  borealis.  Many  honest  and  observing  persons 
declared  that  they  could  distinctly  hear  a  rustling  of  the  corusca- 
tions. Imagination,  however,  probably  had  something  to  do  with 
the  auricular  demonstration.  "  It  has  often  been  asserted,"  says 
Mr.  Payer,  the  late  Austrian  arctic  explorer,  "  that  sound  accom- 
panying the  aurora  has  been  heard  in  the  Shetland  Isles  and  in 
Siberia  ;  but  all  scientific  travellers  protest  against  this." 

Memorial  Day,  May  30,  was  pleasant,  and  the  usual  services 
took  place.  Rev.  Mr.  Biddle,  of  the  First  Universalist  society, 
was  the  orator. 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  in  the  Legislature  of  this 
year,  by  some  of  the  business  men  of  the  east  village  of  Saugus, 
to  have  their  portion  of  the  town  united  to  Lynn. 

During  this  year,  the  old  belief  that  light,  passing  through 
blue  glass,  has  wonderful  power  in  developing  life,  both  animal 
and  vegetable,  and  in  curing  diseases  of  almost  every  kind,  was 
revived,  and  extensively  prevailed.  Many  dwellings  had  a  few 
blue  panes  set  in  the  windows,  and  greenhouses  were  liberally 
supplied  with  the  supposed  life-giving  appliances.  The  idea  was 
started,  at  this  time,  by  General  Pleasanton,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
seems  to  have  been,  that  the  electro-magnetism  produced  by  the 
sun's  rays  passing  through  that  medium,  receives  some  mysterious 
and  extraordinary  power.  While  the  excitement  continued,  the 
glaziers  in  Lynn,  as  elsewhere,  had  an  abundance  of  orders. 
Ladies  wore  blue  veils,  and  cerulean  tints  were  decidedly  in  the 
ascendant. 

On  the  evening  of  July  i,  a  severe  thunder  storm  passed  over 
the  city.  Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  a  terrific  peal  startled 
the  dwellers  in  the  western  section  and  a  bolt  struck  the  dwelling 
of  J.  M.  Tarbox,  at  the  junction  of  Myrtle  and  Walnut  streets. 
Its  instantaneous  work  was  strange  and  destructive,  the  inte- 
rior walls  being  torn  and  pierced,  and  the  furniture  broken  and 
thrown  about  in  the  most  extraordinary  manner.  No  person, 
however,  was  injured  further  than  suffering  a  temporary  shock, 
all  the  inmates  being  in  bed.  And  herein  appears  additional  evi- 
dence that  the  recumbent  position,  especially  if  a  little  elevated, 
is  the  safest,  on  such  occasions.  From  the  peculiar  appearance 
of  what  looked  like  real  "  witch-work  "  about  the  house,  it  seemed 


'J^  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  878. 

not  unreasonable  to  conclude  that  the  bolt  had  an  upward  course. 
The  house  of  Mr.  Tarbox  is  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  rock 
which  was  struck  in  1807,  a  portion  weighing  some  twelve  tons 
being  thrown  two  hundred  feet. 

The  first  boy  church  choir  in  Lynn,  was  organized  this  year, 
in  St.  Stephen's,  and  commenced  taking  their  part  in  the  public 
services,  in  the  summer.  Boy  choirs,  though  comparatively  new 
in  this  country,  are  an  ancient  church  institution.  In  the  history 
of  St.  Margaret's  of  King's  Lynn,  England,  mention  is  made 
of  the  choirboys  as  early  as  1478,  a  bequest  or  two  having  been 
made  for  their  teaching  and  maintenance. 

The  British  Consular  Agency  at  Lynn,  was  this  year  discon- 
tinued, the  insignificance  of  British  trade  here  not  warranting  its 
continuance, 

A  rattlesnake,  fourteen  years  old,  as  the  number  of  rattles 
showed,  was  killed  in  Lynn  woods,  July  5.  And  on  Aug.  4,  a 
huge  one  swam  across  Lily  pond,  Boston  street,  and  as  he  glided 
into  the  yard  of  John  M.  Newhall,  was  killed  by  a  son  of  Mr.  N., 
a  lad  of  14  years.  This  reptile  was  between  four  and  five  feet  in 
length,  and  some  two  years  older  than  his  courageous  destroyer. 

For  some  ten  days,  in  September,  at  night,  the  waves  dashing 
along  our  shores,  exhibited  an  extraordinary  phosphorescent  glow. 
The  spectacle  was  grand,  strong  easterly  winds  bringing  in  heavy 
seas. 

On  the  fifth  of  October,  at  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
Alderman  Aza  A.  Breed,  of  Lynn,  was  attacked  by  two  ruffians, 
in  Belcher  lane,  Boston,  knocked  down,  and  robbed  of  the  large 
sum  of  $8,000.  A  light  carriage  with  a  man  in  it  stood  near  the 
scene  of  the  assault,  and  the  robbers,  after  securing  their  booty, 
jumped  in,  and  the  three  rode  off  Mr.  Breed  gave  chase,  and 
was  fired  on  from  the  carriage,  three  times,  one  of  the  pistol  shots 
taking  effect  in  his  hand.  The  robbers  escaped.  The  money 
belonged  to  the  Central  National  Bank,  and  was  in  Mr.  Breed's 
care,  for  delivery  in  Boston.  A  question  as  to  whether  Mr.  Breed 
or  the  bank  should  bear  the  loss  arose  ;  but  a  settlement  was 
made,  the  bank  agreeing  to  sustain  the  principal  share. 

1878. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  year  rather  serious  labor  troubles 
existed  in  several  of  the  large  manufactories.  Disagreements 
between  workmen  and  their  employers,  in  the  matter  of  wages, 
were  the  cause  of  the  difficulties,  but  mutual  concession  and 
temperate  negotiation  finally  resulted  in  satisfactory  adjustments. 

The  new  bell  on  the  First  Congregational  meeting-house, 
on  South  Common  street,  corner  of  Vine,  was  raised  to  its  place, 
March  28.  It  may  be  interesting  to  mention  that  the  bell  which 
was  raised  on  the  Old  Tunnel,  in   1816,  and  the  one  which  at 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 878.  yj 

the  same  time  was  raised  on  the  Common  street  Methodist 
house,  were  cast  at  the  old  Paul  Revere  foundry,  and  that  the 
present  one  was  turned  out  by  Revere's  successors  in  that 
historic  establishment.  When  the  Old  Tunnel  was  removed 
from  the  centre  of  the  Common,  in  1827,  and  wrought  into  the 
house  now  on  the  corner  of  Commercial  street,  the  bell  went  with 
it,  and  remained  in  the  modest  belfry  till  it  was  taken  down,  this 
year,  and  recast,  the  city  paying  for  the  recasting,  in  considera- 
tion of  its  having  for  more  than  sixty  years  faithfully  marked  the 
hours  of  twelve  at  noon  and  nine  at  night,  as  well  as  having  rung 
out  its  fire  alarms  and  jubilant  peals,  besides  attending  to  its 
other  duties  of  calling  together  worshipping  congregations  and 
announcing  the  bearing  away  of  the  dead  for  burial.  Its  Meth- 
odist coadjutor  still  survives  and  sends  forth  its  sonorous  calls 
from  the  steeple  of  the  new  brick  edifice  in  Park  square. 

A  singular  custom  has  for  many  years  prevailed  in  Lynn,  the 
origin  of  which  it  is  hard  to  determine,  namely  the  blowing  of  tin 
horns,  by  the  youth,  on  May-day.  From  dawn  till  night,  in  all 
directions,  these  discordant  instruments  may  be  heard  ;  but 
especially  are  morning  slumbers  disturbed. 

The  services  on  Memorial  Day,  May  30,  were  interesting, 
though  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  somewhat  disarranged  the 
proceedings.  Rev.  C.  D,  Hills,  of  the  Common  street  Methodist 
society  delivered  the  address. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June,  twelve  gentlemen,  mostly  quite  aged, 
and  all  lovers  of  old-time  customs,  set  out  from  Newburyport  to 
enjoy  a  ride  to  Boston  in  the  old-fashion  four  horse  stage  coach 
of  their  boyhood.  The  driver  was  a  veteran  of  the  road,  and 
eighty-one  years  of  age.  The  start  was  propitious  and  the  ride 
enjoyable,  till  they  reached  Lynn,  when,  near  the  junction  of 
Western  avenue  and  Washington  street,  an  axle  broke  and  the 
stage  was  overturned.  Two  or  three  of  the  passengers  were 
seriously  injured,  and  the  aged  driver  received  a  severe  shock  to 
his  system  besides  painful  bruises. 

On  the  fourth  of  July  there  was  a  successful  balloon  ascension 
from  Park  square,  Alderman  Aza  A.  Breed,  City  Marshal  Charles 
C.  Fry  and  Frederick  Smith,  a  Boston  newspaper  reporter, 
accompanying  the  aeronaut.  A  landing  was  made  at  Hamilton, 
in  this  county.  There  was  to  have  been  a  display  of  fireworks  on 
the  evening  of  the  day  in  question,  but  a  singular  accident  pre- 
vented. They  had  been  loaded  at  the  laboratory,  preparatory  to 
transportation  hither,  but  by  means  of  fire  or  friction,  they  went 
off  in  one  general  explosion.  Others,  however,  were  prepared, 
and  on  the  evening  of  the  i8th  a  successful  exhibition  took 
place. 

Dennis  Kearney,  a  radical  agitator  and  "  sand-lot  orator,"  so 
called,  from  California,  addressed  a  large  collection  of  people,  on 


78  ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  1 879. 

the  Common,  on  the  evening  of  August  12.  He  was  coarse  and 
intemperate  in  his  language,  and  fitted  to  make  little  impression 
on  intelligent  minds.  He  was  escorted  from  Sagamore  hotel,  on 
Union  street,  by  a  large  procession  of  working  men,  and  a  band 
of  music. 

Thursday,  August  10,  was  a  bright  day,  and  a  memorable  one 
for  the  people  of  the  east  vi-llage  of  Saugus,  it  being  that  on  which 
the  public  water  was  introduced  from  the  reservoir  of  Lynn.  A 
public  celebration  was  held,  with  music,  speeches,  processional 
displays,  illuminations  and  fireworks.  Among  the  most  inter- 
esting features  were  the  performances  of  a  detachment  of  the 
Lynn  Fire  Department,  with  their  steam  engine,  hose,  and  lad- 
ders—  demonstrating  to  the  good  people  the  value  of  their  new 
acquisition. 

The  Lynn  Light  Infantry  had  a  *  veteran  parade  "  and  banquet 
on  the  nth  of  October,  which  had  probably  never  been  exceeded 
in  interest  since  the  organization  of  the  old  company,  in  18 12, 
and  elicited  much  commendation  as  a  genuine  and  hearty  civil- 
military  demonstration.  The  procession  included  a  number  of 
prominent  citizens  and  military  persons  from  abroad.  The 
march  was  long,  and  so  interrupted  at  different  points  by  the 
acceptance  of  invitations  to  pause  and  partake  of  refreshments 
that  it  was  after  dark  when  Exchange  hall,  in  which  the  banquet 
was  prepared,  was  reached.  After  the  gastronomic  duties  had 
been  attended  to,  music,  toasts,  and  speeches  were  in  order,  the 
latter  abounding  in  cheery  hits  and  entertaining  reminiscences. 

The  brick  fire  engine  house  in  Broad  street  was  built  this 
year.     And  the  iron  railing  was  placed  around  the  Park. 

It  may  be  mentioned  as  a  singular  fact  among  the  curiosities 
of  temperature,  that  at  midnight,  Dec.  2,  the  thermometer  ran 
higher  in  Lynn  and  vicinity  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  whole 
country  —  six  degrees  higher  than  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  seven 
higher  than  in  Savannah,  Geo.  and  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  nine  higher 
than  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  ten  higher  than  in  Jacksonville, 
Florida. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  for  the  first  time  in  sixteen  years, 
gold  stood  at  par  ;  that  is,  ^100  in  gold  were  worth  just  ^100  in 
greenback  government  notes.  The  extreme  of  variation  was  in 
July,  1864,  when  ^100  in  gold  were  worth  $285  in  bank  bills. 
The  difference  in  the  relative  values  then  began  to  decrease.  In 
1870  it  averaged  114.9,  in  1877,  104.7. 

1879. 

Some  30.000  tons  of  ice,  of  remarkably  good  quality,  were  cut 
on  Flax  pond  during  the  cold  season  of  1878  and  '79. 

On  the  afternoon  of  February  27,  an  old  trunk  was  discovered 
on  the  margin  of  Saugus  river,  near  Fox  Hill  bridge,  containing 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  879.  79 

the  mutilated  remains  of  a  young  woman.  The  nose  had  been 
severed,  among  other  evident  attempts  to  prevent  identification. 
A  great  dpal  of  excitement  soon  prevailed,  and  the  newspapers, 
far  and  near,  teemed  with  sensational  articles.  Hundreds  came, 
many  from  distant  places,  to  view  the  remains,  some  hoping  to 
identify  them,  but  the  greater  number  probably  from  morbid 
curiosity.  Untiring  efforts  were  made  by  the  police  and  others 
to  solve  the  tragic  mystery,  and  it  was  finally  determined  that 
the  remains  were  those  of  a  young  woman  of  the  name  of  Jennie 
P.  Clarke,  whose  death  was  occasioned  by  the  mal-practice  of 
parties  in  Boston.  Miss  Clarke  was  a  native  of  Milton,  Mass., 
but  at  the  time  of  her  death  was  a  resident  of  Boston  Highlands, 
and  would  have  been  twenty  years  of  age  the  very  day  on  which 
her  lifeless  body  was  found.  The  illegal  practice  which  resulted 
in  her  death  took  place  in  Lagrange  street,  Boston,  and  the 
offenders  were  tried  in  the  superior  court  of  Suffolk  county. 
Caroline  C.  Goodrich  was  convicted  as  principal,  and  received 
a  sentence  of  ten  years  in  the  house  of  correction,  and  Dr.  Daniel 
F.  Kimball,  as  accessory  after  the  fact,  was  sentenced  to  six 
years  in  the  state  prison.  The  body  was  buried  from  the  First 
Universalist  meeting-house,  in  Nahant  street. 

The  brick  house  of  worship  of  the  Common  street  Methodist 
society,  on  Park  square,  was  dedicated  on  Thursday,  February 
27,  Bishop  Foster  preaching  the  sermon. 

Died,  at  his  residence  on  Boston  street,  March  29,  Henry 
Moore,  aged  52,  a  native  of  Brighton.  He  was  a  graduate  of 
Amherst  college,  and  principal  of  the  Cobbet  grammar  school, 
some  twenty-four  years  ;  was  a  faithful  and  highly  esteemed 
teacher  as  well  as  citizen. 

Memorial  Day,  May  30,  was  observed  in  the  usual  manner, 
the  address  being  delivered  by  Comrade  W.  G.  Veazie,  of  Rut- 
land, Vt. 

The  most  notable  occurrence  this  year  was  the  celebration 
of  the  Two  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Settlement 
of  Lynn  —  [i  629-1 879]  —  which  took  place  on  the  17th  of  June. 
The  day  was  very  pleasant  and  the  temperature  agreeable.  There 
was  a  grand  procession,  an  oration  by  Cyrus  M.  Tracy,  and  other 
appropriate  exercises  at  Music  Hall,  and  a  banquet  at  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall,  followed  by  toasts,  addresses,  and  music.  Several 
friendly  and  highly  interesting  communications  from  prominent 
officials  and  others  of  King's  Lynn,  England,  were  read  by 
George  H.  Chase.  Attractive  performances  and  out-door  sports, 
of  various  kinds,  designed  to  suit  different  tastes,  were  held 
in  several  localities,  and  in  the  evening  a  grand  display  of  fire- 
works took  place  on  the  Common.  A  neat  volume  of  224  octavo 
pages,  was  printed  by  order  of  the  City  Council,  containing  a 
full  account  of  the  proceedings,  with  an  Introduction  and  a  Second 


80  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 879. 

Part,  by  James  R.  Newhall,  embracing  historical,  topographical, 
statistical  and  other  matter  relating  to  Lynn.  It  not  being 
certain  on  what  particular  day  of  June  the  settlement  com- 
menced—  nor  indeed  certain  beyond  a  doubt  that  it  was  in 
June  —  after  some  discussion  the  City  Council  fixed  on  the  his- 
toric 17th,  as  the  proper  day  for  the  observance,  and  in  April 
appointed  a  committee  to  have  general  supervision  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. This  committee  consisted  of  Mayor  George  P.  San- 
derson, Aldermen  N.  D.  C.  Breed,  and  Nathan  A.  Ramsdell,  and 
Common  Councilmen,  President  Charles  E.  Kimball,  Charles  E. 
Harwood,  Josiah  F.  Kimball,  and  Alfred  P.  Flint.  This  com- 
mittee decided  to  invite  the  cooperation  of  the  citizens  ;  and  the 
Mayor,  on  the  30th  of  April,  issued  an  invitation  to  the  citizens 
generally  to  assemble  in  their  several  ward  rooms,  on  the  5th 
of  May,  to  select  five  persons  from  each  ward,  to  act  with  them. 
The  ward  meetings  were  accordingly  held,  and  the  following 
individuals  selected  :  Ward  i.  John  L.  Shorey,  William  Lummus, 
Breed  Bacheller,  John  R.  Jordan,  George  W.  Vincent.  Ward  2. 
Oliver  Ramsdell,  William  H.  Rood,  Sylvester  H.  Mansfield,  John 
Marlor,  C,  H.  Ramsdell.  Ward  3.  Amos  F.  Breed,  J.  Frank 
Lamphier,  Ebenezer  Beckford,  Jacob  M.  Lewis,  William  B.  Phil- 
lips. Ward  4.  George  T.  Newhall,  A.  B.  Martin,  James  N. 
Richardson,  W.  A.  Clark,  jr.,  L.  A.  May.  Ward  5.  T.  P.  Rich- 
ardson, Otis  L.  Baldwin,  S.  M.  Bubier,  N.  M.  Hawkes,  George 
C.  Neal.  Ward  6.  Gardiner  Tufts,  James  W.  Switzer,  Wallace 
Bates,  Frank  J.  Douglass,  William  Snell.  Ward  7.  William 
Shepard,  Richard  C.  Lawrie,  William  F.  Brackett,  jr.,  Alonzo 
Penney,  John  Dougherty.  The  City  Council  appropriated  ^3.000 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  celebration,  and  liberal  individual 
contributions  aided  in  various  ways.  Of  the  city  appropriation, 
^750  were  devoted  to  the  juvenile  part  of  the  procession,  ^525 
to  music,  ^350  to  fireworks,  ^150  to  the  rowing  regatta,  ^100  to 
the  antiques  and  horribles,  1^50  to  dory  and  tub  race,  ;^io  to 
bicycle  race.  The  balance  was  absorbed  by  carriage  hire,  the 
banquet,  and  various  incidental  expenses. 

Rollin  E.  Harmon  succeeded  in  office  James  R.  Newhall, 
whose  resignation  as  Judge  of  the  Lynn  Police  Court  took  effect 
Aug.  24.  The  business  of  the  court  had  a  steady  increase,  as 
population  increased,  from  the  time  of  its  establishment,  in  1849. 
The  earlier  records  having  been  destroyed,  at  the  burning  of  the 
old  Town  House,  Oct.  6,  1864,  no  exact  statement  can  be  made 
as  to  the  business  during  the  earlier  years.  But  in  the  thirteen 
years  during  which  the  now  retiring  justice  presided,  namely, 
1866  to  1879,  the  number  of  cases  disposed  of  was  twenty  thou- 
sand, one  hundred  and  twelve —  criminal,  12.971,  civil,  y.141  — 
exclusive  of  a  large  number  coming  under  the  juvenile  jurisdiction 
and  poor  debtor  laws.     The  entire  term  of  the  retiring  justice,  in 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 879.  8 1 

the  court,  was  thirty  years  —  seventeen  as  special  and  thirteen 
as  standing  justice. 

John  A.  Jackson,  the  designer  of  the  Soldiers'  Monument,  in 
Park  square,  died  in  Florence,  Italy,  in  August,  aged  54  years. 
He  was  a  native  of  Bath,  Me. 

On  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  Sept.  30  and  Oct.  i,  the  annual 
exhibition  of  the  Essex  Agricultural  Society  was  held  in  Lynn, 
for  the  first  time  since  1848.  It  was  the  society's  sixty-first 
yearly  exhibition.  Hon.  George  B.  Loring,  of  Salem,  delivered 
the  address,  in  the  Central  church,  and  dinner  was  served  in  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall.  The  weather  was  pleasant  but  very  warm,  and 
there  was  a  large  attendance.  The  receipts  were  found  to  be 
$^-937-S^>  ^^'^  the  net  profits  $659.37. 

St.  Joseph's  (Catholic)  Cemetery,  was  consecrated,  Oct.  16, 
Archbishop  Williams  conducting  the  ceremonies. 

The  newly-invented  telephone  came  into  use  in  Lynn,  this 
year,  especially  for  business  purposes. 

Sherry's  building,  in  Munroe  street,  was  built  this  year,  and 
was  the  first  full  six-story  brick  building  erected  here. 

Anthony  Hatch,  aged  6y,  a  farmer  of  Cliftondale,  Saugus,  died 
Nov.  19,  from  injuries  received  from  an  infuriated  bull  which  he 
was  driving  to  pasture,  on  the  Sunday  previous. 

Benjamin  F.  Mudge,  died  on  Friday  evening,  Nov.  21,  at  his 
residence  in  Manhattan,  Kansas,  aged  62.  He  was  born  in  Or- 
rington,  Me.,  but  at  an  early  age  came  to  Lynn  ;  was  our  second 
Mayor,  having  been  inaugurated  June  16,  1852.  He  had  made 
a  brief  visit  here  within  a  few  months  of  the  time  of  his  death, 
receiving  the  cordial  greetings  of  many  old  friends  ;  and  while 
here  delivered  one  or  two  very  acceptable  lectures  on  scientific 
subjects.  A  biographical  sketch  appears  in  our  "  Centennial 
Memorial,"  of  1876. 

The  extraordinary  occurrence  of  a  clear  sky,  all  over  the 
United  States,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  happened  Nov. 
24,  as  reported  by  the  U.  S.  Signal  Corps. 

A  flock  of  wild  geese,  estimated  to  be  half  a  mile  in  length, 
and  flying  very  low,  passed  over  Dungeon  rock,  Dec.  2. 

The  length  of  pipes  for  the  conveyance  of  the  public  water,  in 
Lynn,  was  this  year  fifty-three  miles,  and  the  average  daily  con- 
sumption of  the  water  was  1.268.000  gallons. 

The  number  of  streets  in  Lynn,  this  year,  was  480,  measuring, 
in  the  aggregate,  some  125  miles.  The  increase  in  the  number, 
in  ten  years,  was  125  ;  in  twenty  years,  208. 

This  year,  after  a  long  season  —  some  seven  years  —  of  busi- 
ness depression,  affairs  began  to  assume  a  much  more  cheering 
aspect.  Business  of  all  kinds,  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  began 
to  revive,  and  every  thing  to  look  promising.  Lynn  had  her  full 
share  of  depression,  and  was  among  the  first  to  feel  the  rising 

6 


82  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 879. 

tide  of  prosperity.  Under  date  1874  appear  some  remarks  con- 
cerning the  then  state  of  things. 

From  the  following  statements  an  idea  may  be  had  of  the 
provision  for  the  poor.  During  the  year,  523  families  received 
assistance  from  the  public  treasury,  the  number  of  individuals 
being  1.992.  The  average  number  of  paupers  in  the  almshouse 
was  52,  and  the  cost  of  each,  per  week,  for  food  and  clothing, 
was  ^1.35.  The  number  of  tramps  furnished  with  food  and 
lodging,  was  1.757,  the  average  cost  of  each  being  14  cents. 
Some  account  of  the  latter  class  may  be  found  under  date  1874. 

The  number  of  volumes  in  the  Free  Public  Library,  at  the 
close  of  this  year,  was  27.804.  The  average  daily  delivery  during 
the  year  was  461  volumes. 

The  appropriation  for  the  free  education  of  the  youth  of  Lynn, 
for  1879,  was  $83,000,  which,  with  certain  receipts,  brought  the 
whole  amount  devoted  to  school  purposes  up  to  the  generous 
sum  of  $86,816.88.  The  number  of  schools  was  as  follows:  i 
high  school,  7  grammar  and  55  primary  schools,  and  i  evening 
drawing  school.  Whole  number  of  pupils  in  all  the  day  schools, 
on  the  first  of  May,  5.413.  Average  daily  attendance  of  pupils 
in  all  the  day  schools,  4.667.  The  expenditure  for  school  pur- 
poses, for  each  inhabitant  of  the  city  between  the  ages  of  five 
and  fifteen  years,  was  $15.66. 

As  noted  under  date  1864,  the  first  steam  fire-engine  procured 
for  the  city,  arrived  that  year.  And  now,  1879,  we  have  four 
of  those  efficient  machines,  and  the  fire  department  is,  in  other 
respects,  well  equipped.  It  has  more  than  twelve  thousand  feet 
of  hose,  and  there  are  distributed  about  the  city,  some  four  hun- 
dred hydrants,  twenty  capacious  reservoirs,  and  a  number  of 
public  wells.  The  department  is  also  provided  with  one  large 
four-wheel  double  tank  chemical  fire-extinguisher  and  seven  hand 
extinguishers.  In  former  years  Lynn  has  been,  emphatically, 
what  is  termed  a  wooden  town,  almost  every  building  being 
of  wood  ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that  there  was  no  really 
compact  part,  serious  conflagrations  would  probably  have  occurred. 
Lately,  numerous  capacious  brick  structures  have  been  erected, 
and  as  land  increased  in  value,  some  of  the  business  streets  have 
become  as  compact  as  those  of  any  city.  It  can  hardly  be  ex- 
pected that  in  the  future  we  shall  be  as  free  from  disasters  by 
fire  as  we  have  been  in  the  past ;  yet,  with  the  improved  facilities 
for  grappling  with  the  flames,  and  the  improved  modes  in  the 
construction,  heating,  and  lighting  of  buildings,  there  is  rea- 
sonable ground  for  hoping  that  our  good  fortune  may  continue. 
The  telegraphic  fire-alarm,  which  was  established  in  1871,  has 
proved  extremely  beneficial,  saving  an  immense  amount  of  con- 
fusion and  delay  on  the  occurrence  of  a  fire. 

Speaking  of  the  later  style  of  building,  and  the  more  compact 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  1 879.  83 

character  of  some  of  our  streets,  leads  to  the  remark  that  the 
great  change  in  the  mode  of  manufacturhig  shoes  has  been  the 
principal  cause  of  this,  at  least  so  far  as  relates  to  buildings 
erected  for  business  purposes.  It  is  quite  within  the  recollection 
of  our  middle-aged  people  —  as  the  writer  had  occasion  to  remark 
in  the  little  book  giving  an  account  of  the  proceedings  on  our  two 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  —  that  shoes  were  made  by  hand, 
not  by  machinery.  The  shoes  were  cut  in  the  manufacturer's  shop, 
which  was  generally  a  small  wooden  structure,  and  thence  taken 
by  the  workman  to  his  own  premises,  made  up,  and  returned. 
A  great  many,  however,  were  carried  by  express-drivers  to  coun- 
try towns,  to  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  and  there 
made  up,  by  workmen  whose  regular  occupation  was,  perhaps, 
farming,  but  who  resorted  to  the  shoemaker's  seat  in  winter 
and  other  unoccupied  times.  The  work  of  some  of  these  un- 
skilled operators  was  very  poor  and  occasioned  much  complaint 
and  annoyance  ;  but  still  a  great  deal  of  work  went  out  of  town, 
and  a  great  deal  of  money  went  to  pay  for  it.  But  the  intro- 
duction of  machinery  wrought  a  great  change.  Large  factories, 
often  of  brick,  began  to  supplant  the  small  cutting  shops,  and 
the  little  work  shops  of  the  journeymen  began  to  disappear. 
The  new  factories  were  built  in  a  thorough  and  substantial 
manner,  as  the  ponderous  machinery  required  ;  some  were  tastily 
ornamented,  and  remain  really  fine  specimens  of  architecture. 
To  the  factory  it  was  now  necessary  that  the  workman  should 
go  to  perform  his  labor.  The  work  of  making  a  shoe  was  divided 
among  several,  each  having  his  particular  part  to  do ;  and  the 
labor  of  all  became  so  interlinked,  that  each  depended  much  on 
the  skill  and  promptness  of  the  others  for  his  own  success. 
Rules  were  necessarily  established  for  the  guidance  of  all ;  reg- 
ular hours  of  labor,  especially,  being  required  ;  and  efforts  were 
made  to  place  the  whole  business  on  a  permanent  basis.  And 
so  the  business  continues,  every  day  developing  fresh  enero"ies 
and  evidences  of  thrift.  New  factories  are  constantly  risino-,  and 
though  there  is  some  abridgment  of  the  old-time  freedom  of  the 
workman  as  he  whistled  over  his  work  in  his  rude  little  shop, 
he  yet  gains  by  the  comfort,  order,  and  sometimes  forced  indus- 
try of  the  factory. 

The  number  of  deaths  in  Lynn,  during  the  year,  was  680, 
which,  taking  the  increase  of  population  into  view,  was  about 
the  usual  rate  of  past  years.  The  most  fatal  disease  was  con- 
sumption, by  which  120  died.  The  next  most  fatal  was  diphthe- 
ria, by  which  65  died.  Consumption  was  the  most  fatal  among 
adults,  diphtheria  among  children.  In  1876  there  were  121 
deaths  by  diphtheria. 

The  number  of  marriages  during  the  year  was  429.  And  the 
number  of  births,  717. 


84  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1880. 

With  the  year  1879  i^  was  at  first  thought  advisable  to  close 
our  Annals,  the  first  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  our  municipal 
existence  being  then  completed.  Yet  it  seemed  as  if  that  reason 
was  hardly  sufficient  to  refuse  space  for  the  occurrences  of  one 
or  two  additional  years  that  would  elapse  before  the  volume  could 
be  presented  to  the  public.  It  was  therefore  concluded  to  pro- 
ceed till  a  time  nearer  that  of  publication, 

1  880. 

A  generous  sum  was  contributed  in  Lynn,  early  this  year,  for 
the  suffering  poor  in  Ireland,  our  Irish  residents  being  especially 
liberal. 

The  winter  of  1879  ^^""^  '^O  ^^^^  uncommonly  mild,  so  far  as 
temperature  was  concerned.  Far  less  ice  than  usual  was  cut  on 
the  ponds,  and  in  consequence,  the  price  during  the  succeeding 
summer  was  much  higher  than  during  any  late  preceding  year. 
Yet  the  number  of  snow  storms  was  above  the  average,  there 
being  thirty-four  in  number,  and  the  aggregate  depth  of  snow 
five  feet  and  three  and  a  half  inches. 

Edwin  Marble,  who  succeeded  his  father  Hiram  Marble  in 
the  strange  search  for  treasure  in  Dungeon  Rock,  as  spoken 
of  under  date  1658,  died  January  16,  aged  48  years,  leaving  a 
widow  but  no  children.  He  had  been  out  of  health  many  months, 
occasioned,  no  doubt,  by  his  persistent  labors  in  the  dark,  damp 
cavern,  though  the  immediate  cause  of  his  death  was  paralysis. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  character  and  agreeable  disposition,  a 
firm  believer  in  spiritual  manifestations,  and  a  patient  laborer 
under  supposed  supernatural  direction.  He  was  buried  near  the 
foot  of  the  rock,  on  the  southwestern  slope,  it  having  been  his 
expressed  desire  to  be  interred  near  the  scene  of  his  hopeful 
though  fruitless  labors.  A  considerable  number  of  friends,  per- 
haps fifty,  most  of  them  of  the  spiritualistic  faith,  were  present 
at  the  burial  service,  which  was  simple  and  affecting ;  and  held 
there,  deep  in  the  forest,  amid  the  winter  scenery,  was  peculiarly 
touching.  At  the  close,  the  hymn  "  In  the  Sweet  By  and  By," 
was  sung. 

May  29  was  observed  as  Memorial  Day,  the  30th  falling  on 
Sunday.     The  address  was  delivered  by  Col.  T.  W.  Higginson. 

On  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  June  2,  "  Summit  Villa,"  the 
fine  mansion  on  the  Galloupe  estate,  in  Swampscott,  was  entirely 
destroyed  by  fire,  with  most  of  its  contents,  the  loss,  in  the 
aggregate  reaching  about  ;^  15.000.  It  was  rented  to  Commodore 
Hutchins,  of  New  York,  for  $3,000  for  the  summer. 

James  McMahon,  aged  50  years,  a  resident  of  Blossom  street, 
was  alleged  to  have  been  bitten  on   the  arm,   by  a  black  spider, 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1880.  85 

June  29.  Deeming  it  a  trivial  matter,  he  made  no  application, 
till,  on  the  second  day,  it  became  swollen  and  excessively  painful. 
Medical  aid  was  sought,  but  the  progress  of  the  poison  could  not 
be  arrested,  and  three  days  after  receiving  the  bite  he  died.  It 
should  be  remarked  that  this  is  given  as  reported  at  the  time  ; 
but  good  authorities  declare  that  no  spider  bite  can  cause  death 
or  even  much  pain.  In  the  physician's  return  the  cause  of  Mr. 
McMahon's  death  is  stated  to  have  been  malignant  erysipelas. 

By  the  summer  arrangement  of  the  Eastern  rail-road,  this 
year,  there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  regular  passenger 
and  freight  trains  entering  and  leaving  Lynn,  each  week  day. 
Besides  these,  there  were  thirty-eight  out  and  in  trains  on  the 
Boston,  Revere  Beach  and  Lynn  steam  rail-road,  and  the  hourly 
cars  of  the  Lynn  and  Boston  horse  rail-road. 

Ex-Mayor  Hiram  N.  Breed  and  his  wife  Nancy  Stone  Breed, 
on  the  3d  of  July,  the  4th  falling  on  Sunday,  celebrated  the 
"  golden  "  anniversary  of  their  marriage,  they  having  been  united 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1830.  There  was  a  large  and  cheery  gather- 
ing of  descendants  and  other  relatives  and  friends,  a  number  of 
city  officials,  and  six  ex-mayors. 

Independence  was  celebrated  on  Monday,  July  5,  in  a  moderate 
way.  Explosives,  as  usual,  made  their  demonstrations,  early  and 
late,  bells  were  rung,  and  out-door  sports  engaged  in.  In  the 
evening  there  was  a  successful  display  of  fireworks,  to  witness 
which  it  was  estimated  full  10.000  persons  assembled. 

Adam  Hawkes  was  among  the  first  settlers  of  Lynn,  as  we 
find  him  here  as  early  as  1630,  located  in  what  is  still  known  as 
the  Hawkes  neighborhood.  He  had  five  sons,  and  many  descend- 
ants remain,  scattered  all  over  the  country,  and  adorning  various 
professions  and  callings.  Several  are  yet  found  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  early  family  home,  and  among  them  Louis  P.  Hawkes  who 
occupies  a  part  of  the  original  farm,  in  what  is  now  known  as 
North  Saugus.  And  there,  on  the  28th  and  29th  of  July,  of  this 
year,  gathered  from  various  quarters,  distant  and  near,  an  inter- 
esting company  of  representatives  of  the  family,  to  the  number 
of  about  three  hundred  and  fifty.  They  met  with  cordial  greet- 
ings and  brotherly  sympathies  ;  and  the  weather  proving  favor- 
able, the  most  agreeable  anticipations  were  realized,  all  the 
exercises  and  entertainments,  literary,  social,  athletic  and  gastro- 
nomic, giving  much  satisfaction.  Hon.  Nathan  M.  Hawkes,  of 
Lynn,  was  master  of  ceremonies. 

Died,  in  Saugus,  July  30,  George  W.  Phillips,  aged  70.  He 
was  a  native  of  Boston,  a  brother  of  Wendell  Phillips  the  "  silver 
tongued"  orator,  and  a  graduate  of  Harvard  college,  with  the 
1829  class.  He  was  a  good  lawyer  and  long  in  large  practice, 
interested  in  town  affairs,  but  steadily  declining  to  hold  office. 
For  some  years  he  was  a  partner  of  Franklin  Dexter,  and  man- 


86  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 188O. 

aged  many  important  cases.  During  the  last  thirty  years  he  was 
a  resident  of  Saugus,  was  thrice  married,  and  his  last  wife  sur- 
vived him.  His  death  was  very  sudden.  Returning  from  Boston 
early  in  the  afternoon,  and  seeing  his  men  pitching  hay,  he  said, 
pleasantly,  "  Boys,  would  n't  you  like  to  have  me  up  there  with 
you  .''  "  He  mounted  the  hay-rigging,  and  was  presently  observed 
to  totter  and  fall,  death  almost  instantly  following.  The  funeral 
services  were  held  in  Saugus,  Rev.  James  Freeman  Clarke,  Dr. 
Oliver  W.  Holmes,  and  one  or  two  others  of  his  Harvard  class- 
mates being  present  and  making  remarks. 

A  fire  commenced  on  the  morning  of  August  6,  in  the  three 
story  wooden  building  numbered  2  and  4,  Central  avenue,  owned 
by  S.  P.  Miles,  and  resulted  in  the  loss  of  property  to  the  amount 
of  about  ^2.500,  largely  in  stock. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday,  August  1 1,  a  meeting  of  the 
wardens  and  vestry  of  St.  Stephen's  Church  was  held  for  the 
formal  reception  of  the  stone  from  the  ancient  walls  of  St.  Mar- 
garet's Church,  in  Lynn  Regis,  England,  which  had  been  sent 
with  its  friendly  inscription  by  the  authorities  of  that  venerable 
shrine,  to  be  incorporated  in  St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church,  then 
in  process  of  erection  on  South  Common  street.  Resolutions 
were  passed  warmly  acknowledging  the  courtesy  of  the  brethren 
of  St.  Margaret's. 

Sunday  night,  August  22,  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  con- 
ceivable. The  full  moon  rose  between  seven  and  eight  o'clock 
and  pursued  a  cloudless  course  through  a  sparkling  sky.  The 
air  was  soft,  the  westerly  breeze  very  light,  and  the  woody  hills, 
rocky  shores,  and  quiet  sea  defined  with  marvellous  clearness. 
But  this  record  would  be  common-place  were  it  not  for  the 
additional  and  uncommon  fact  that  at  midnight,  as  on  the  24th 
of  November,  1879,  the  weather  was  clear  throughout  the  whole 
United  States,  though  there  were  considerable  variations  of  tem- 
perature. In  this  vicinity  the  thermometer  stood  at  about  70"  ; 
but  proceeding  southerly,  it  grew  warmer.  At  Savannah,  Geo., 
it  reached  82  degrees. 

Tubular  wells  having  been  sunk  by  the  city  authorities  on  the 
south  side  of  Boston  street,  between  Cottage  and  Bridge,  in  the 
hope  of  obtaining  large  quantities  of  pure  water,  for  public  use, 
pumping  from  them  into  the  Pine  Hill  reservoir  commenced  on 
the  4th  of  September.  One  effect,  soon  felt,  was  the  draining 
of  wells  on  estates  more  than  half  a  mile  distant.  In  the  first 
forty-five  hours  that  the  pump  was  in  motion  L250.OOO  gallons 
were  drawn. 

The  cattle  show  and  fair  of  the  Essex  Agricultural  Society 
was  again  held  in  Lynn,  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  September 
28  and  29.  There  was  a  large  attendance  and  highly  satisfactory 
exhibition.     Lieut.  Col.  D.  W.  Lowe  delivered  the  address. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1880.  Sy 

The  entire  fire  department  had  a  parade,  Oct.  20.  The  display 
was  very  fine  and  to  the  participants  an  occasion  of  much 
enjoyment.  At  the  close  of  the  march  dinner  was  served  in  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  a  great  sensation  was  produced  in 
political  circles  all  over  the  United  States,  by  the  appearance,  in 
a  New  York  paper,  of  a  letter  purporting  to  have  been  written 
by  General  Garfield,  the  Republican  candidate  for  the  presidency, 
and  addressed  to  "  Henry  L.  Morey,"  of  the  "  Employers'  Union," 
of  Lynn.  It  was  in  the  interest  of  cheap  labor,  and  in  pursuance 
of  the  purpose,  favored  Chinese  immigration.  The  Pacific  coast 
people,  especially,  became  highly  indignant  at  the  drift  of  the 
letter,  and  the  name  of  Morey  and  of  Lynn  were  heard  in  every 
quarter.  But  the  letter  was  soon  proved  to  be  a  base  forgery, 
concocted  to  damage  the  prospects  of  General  Garfield  ;  and  it 
would,  without  doubt,  have  had  a  serious  effect,  had  not  timely 
evidence  of  the  unpardonable  fraud  been  discovered.  It  was 
satisfactorily  shown  that  no  such  person  as  Henry  L.  Morey  and 
no  such  association  as  the  Employers'  Union  existed  in  Lynn. 

Early  in  the  forenoon  of  Oct.  28,  a  fire  occurred  on  the  south 
side  of  Broad  street,  near  the  foot  of  Market,  which  destroyed 
the  steam  planing  mill  of  James  N.  Bufifum  and  Company,  to- 
gether with  several  neighboring  buildings,  the  entire  loss  being 
some  ^93.500. 

Soon  after  the  burning  of  the  planing  mill,  as  above  noted,  it 
was  concluded  to  rebuild  on  a  site  some  six  or  seven  hundred 
feet  southward.  The  great  brick  chimney,  nine  feet  square  at 
the  base,  and  ninety  feet  high,  had  been  left  standing  in  solitary 
grandeur,  and  was  removed,  in  its  erect  position,  without  accident, 
by  the  skillful  management  of  Boston  contractors. 

On  the  22d  of  November  a  beautiful  mirage  appeared  in  the 
bay. 

The  district  of  Lynn,  Nahant,  and  Swampscott,  returned,  as 
the  product  of  their  fisheries  for  the  quarter  ending  Dec.  3,  as 
follows  :  codfish,  cured,  300.000  lbs  ;  mackerel,  400.000  lbs.  ;  her- 
ring, salted,  100.000  lbs.  ;  lobsters,  7.000  lbs.  ;  fresh  fish,  daily 
catch,  3 1 5.000  lbs.  ;  fish  oil,  3.200  galls.     Total  value,  1^44.141.50. 

A  rather  singular,  though  not  serious,  accident  happened  to 
ex-Mayor  Buffum  on  an  evening  in  December.  He  was  in  the 
store  of  Mr.  Barton,  on  Market  street  the  door  of  which  was 
composed  of  a  single  plate  of  glass.  Observing  his  horse,  which 
had  been  left  standing  in  the  street,  suddenly  start,  Mr.  B.  hastily 
and  without  realizing  that  the  door  was  not  open,  but  transparent, 
dashed  through,  causing  one  or  two  uncomfortable  cuts  upon  his 
face  and  other  parts  of  his  head. 

The  United  States  census,  taken  this  year,  gave  Lynn  a  pop- 
ulation of  38.284.     18.255  males,  20.029  females. 


88  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1881. 

18  8  1. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Building,  on  the 
corner  of  Market  and  Liberty  streets,  was  dedicated  on  Monday 
afternoon,  January  17.  There  was  a  large  attendance,  and 
among  the  notables  was  Governor  Long,  who  delivered  a  short 
address.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  a  little  rising  $57,000. 
The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  Thursday,  April  8,  1880,  the  prin- 
cipal address  on  that  occasion  being  by  Russell  Sturgis  of 
Boston. 

On  the  morning  of  Wednesday,  January  19,  a  fire  occurred 
on  the  westerly  side  of  Market  street,  near  Broad,  destroying 
property  to  the  amount  of  $i5'^.500.  Augustus  B.  Martin  and 
Co.,  morocco  manufacturers,  C.  B  Lancaster  and  Co.,  shoe  man- 
ufacturers, and  Skinner  and  Colder,  were  the  principal  losers. 
For  a  time  there  was  danger  of  a  more  extensive  conflagration, 
and  assistance  in  arresting  the  flames  was  received  from  Salem 
and  Marblehead. 

A  fire  took  place  on  Sunday  morning,  January  30,  in  the  car- 
riage manufactory  of  E.  J.  Leslie,  on  Boston  street,  near  Myrtle, 
by  which  property  to  the  amount  of  $3,500  was  destroyed. 

Dr.  Daniel  Perley  died  at  his  residence  in  Breed  street,  Janu- 
ary 31,  at  the  age  of  "jy,  leaving  a  widow,  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. He  commenced  practice  here  in  1836,  and  became  highly 
esteemed  as  a  physician  and  citizen.  He  was  a  native  of  Boxford, 
Mass. 

The  government  weather  signals,  on  High  Rock,  were  shown 
for  the  first  time,  February  23. 

A  fire  commenced  in  the  rubber  factory  of  Melcher  and  Spin- 
ney, in  Broad  street,  near  Market,  March  31.  The  flames  spread 
so  rapidly  that  one  of  the  workmen  to  save  his  life  was  obliged 
to  jump  from  a  second-story  window.  Total  loss  on  building 
and  stock,  about  $3,700. 

On  the  night  of  May  2,  a  fire  occurred  in  the  morocco  factory 
of  Henry  Beyer,  rear  of  Spring  street,  doing  damage  to  the 
amount  of  $3,400. 

The  pond  on  the  Common  was  this  year  stocked  with  gold  fish 
from  Gold  Fish  pond. 

The  address  iDefore  the  General  Lander  Post  No.  5,  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  the  City  Government  and  others, 
was  delivered  in  Music  Hall,  on  the  evening  of  May  31,  by  Gen. 
James  Carnahan  of  Indiana.  It  was  postponed  from  the  preced- 
ing evening  on  account  of  a  violent  thunder  storm.  Memorial 
Day,  May  30,  was  this  year  made  a  legal  holiday  by  the  legislature. 

Mr.  Eugene  F.  Forman,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Lynn 
Daily  Bee  and  Weekly  Reporter,  came  to  his  death  by  a  strange 
and  terrible  accident,  at  the  Sagamore  hotel,  in   Union  street, 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1881.  89 

where  he  boarded,  at  about  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Sep- 
tember 3.  He  was  at  the  open  window  of  his  room  in  the  fourth 
story,  and  by  some  means  lost  his  balance  and  fell  a  distance 
of  about  forty  feet,  to  the  street  pavement,  in  his  descent  striking 
upon  an  iron  railing  attached  to  the  basement  of  the  building. 
He  survived,  at  times  suffering  great  pain,  till  about  six  o'clock 
in  the  evening.  He  was  a  young  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
promise  in  the  journalistic  profession,  of  good  education,  and 
seemed  destined  to  make  an  enduring  mark  in  the  community. 
He  was  born  in  Nantucket,  on  the  i6th  of  February,  1852,  and 
was  unmarried.  The  several  printing  offices  in  the  city  were 
closed,  in  respect  to  his  memory,  at  the  hour  of  his  funeral. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  soon  after  sunrise,  the  atmosphere 
began  to  assume  a  yellowish  hue  —  brassy,  as  the  phrase  em- 
ployed generally  was  when  speaking  of  it  —  and  by  the  middle 
of  the  forenoon,  there  was  a  very  unnatural  appearance.  People 
began  to  wonder  what  was  coming.  At  noon  the  obscuration 
was  so  great  that  artificial  light  was  needed  for  most  in-door 
employments.  The  blaze  of  a  lamp  was  no  less  noticeable  than 
the  other  phenomena,  for  it  was  strangely  brilliant  and  remark- 
ably white.  The  greatest  darkness  was  at  about  three  in  the 
afternoon.  At  that  hour  it  was  difficult  to  read  common  print 
by  the  daylight ;  the  faces  of  people  were  of  a  light  saffron  hue  ; 
blues  were  changed  to  green  ;  the  grass  and  foliage  had  a  beau- 
tiful golden  tinge  ;  and  every  thing  wore  a  sort  of  weird  aspect. 
Domestic  animals  and  fowls  seemed  to  notice  that  something 
unusual  was  going  on,  but  manifested  no  alarm.  The  day  was 
close  and  warm,  and  the  smell  of  smoke  very  perceptible.  The 
wind  was  southwesterly  but  very  light.  Towards  night  a  gentle 
westerly  breeze  sprang  up,  and  before  sunset  nature  had  assumed 
her  wonted  condition.  Several  theories  were  proposed  to  account 
for  this  "  yellow  Tuesday,"  as  it  came  to  be  called  ;  but  there 
seems  to  be  little  doubt  that  it  was  occasioned  by  smoke  arising 
from  fires  in  the  woods,  some  of  which  were  perhaps  as  far  off  as 
Canada.  The  writer  very  well  remembers  that  when  he  was  a 
small  boy,  probably  in  1817  or  18 18,  he  was  surprised  on  going 
out  one  Sunday  morning  to  see  how  yellow  everything  looked, 
and  called  the  attention  of  the  family  to  the  appearance.  But 
by  "  meeting  time  "  the  strange  hue  had  nearly  passed  off.  Like 
a  good  boy  he  was  drawn  by  the  sound  of  the  bell  to  the  venera- 
ble Old  Tunnel,  and  clearly  recollects  hearing  a  knot  of  men  at 
the  door  commenting  on  the  "brassy"  appearance  of  the  morn- 
ing ;  and  one  of  them  remarked  that  it  looked  just  as  it  did  on 
the  morning  of  the  great  dark  day  of  1780. 

On  the  night  of  September  12,  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock, 
there  was  a  singularly  beautiful  appearance  in  the  heavens.  A 
band  of  dense  mist  skirted  along  the  horizon,  but  above,  the  sky 


90  ANNALS   OF    LYNN — 188I. 

was  clear  and  the  stars  bright.  Suddenly  there  appeared  what 
may  not  inaptly  be  compared  to  two  immense  comets,  one  at  the 
southeastern  and  the  other  at  the  northwestern  horizon,  sending 
up  their  broad  and  sharply  defined  tails,  to  meet  at  the  zenith. 
The  arch,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  formed  a  striking  spectacle, 
and  was  so  transparent  that  stars  were  visible  through  it.  It 
retained  its  most  perfect  proportions  about  twenty  minutes,  and 
then,  sweeping  off  in  a  southerly  direction,  soon  faded  away.  At 
the  Signal  Office,  in  Boston,  it  was  judged  to  be  the  corona  form 
of  aurora  borealis  ;  but  some,  professedly  wise  in  such  matters, 
contended  that  it  was  a  nebulous  belt  which  had  made  a  near 
approach  to  the  earth.  It  was  described  as  of  a  "  reddish  yellow  " 
tinge  as  it  appeared  in  some  places  ;  but  as  it  was  observed  by 
the  writer,  it  was  of  a  beautifully  clear  white,  and  at  the  time 
thought  to  be  without  doubt  the  aurora.  One  scientific  observer, 
who  called  it  a  "  nebulous  band,"  claimed,  in  a  newspaper  commu- 
nication, that  it  is  recurrent,  and  is  every  season  to  be  seen, 
always  in  the  same  direction,  and  always  between  the  25th  of 
August  and  the  20th  of  September.  One  of  our  Lynn  papers 
referred  to  it  as  something  hardly  worthy  of  remark.  But  the 
circumstances  under  which  the  writer  of  that  paragraph  saw  it 
must  have  been  very  unfavorable,  or  he  could  not  have  seen  it 
during  the  short  time  of  its  greatest  brilliancy.  As  seen  from 
the  piazza  of  the  stone  dwelling  at  the  junction  of  Walnut  and 
Holyoke  streets  it  was  certainly  a  very  striking  and  beautiful 
object. 

About  midnight,  September  19,  the  church  bells  were  tolled, 
announcing  the  death  of  President  Garfield.  The  effect  was 
very  solemn. 

On  Wednesday,  September  21,  "The  Exploring  Circle,"  a 
voluntary  association  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  culture  held  a 
"  Camp  Day,"  on  a  romantic  elevation  perhaps  a  mile  northward 
from  Dungeon  Rock,  and  as  was  calculated  about  the  centre 
of  Lynn  woods.  They  had  previously  held  similar  meetings  in  the 
forest,  and  consecrated  and  given  appropriate  names  to  some  of  the 
other  hills  which  still  remain  unknown  to  most  of  our  people, 
but  which  would  richly  repay  the  visits  of  every  lover  of  the  wild 
and  weird,  the  romantic  and  lovely  in  nature.  The  occasion  under 
notice  was  the  consecration  of  "  Mount  Gilead,"  one  of  the  most 
interesting  spots  within  our  borders,  and  from  which  the  view, 
though  chiefly  of  forest,  is  grand  in  the  extreme.  The  services 
were  highly  pleasing,  music,  both  vocal  and  instrumental,  lending 
its  charms  to  the  picturesque  ceremonials.  There  were  also 
brief  addresses,  and  the  substantial  addition  of  a  pic-nic  enter- 
tainment. The  day  was  very  pleasant,  and  several  noted  indi- 
viduals from  abroad  were  present.  The  "  Circle  "  entertains  the 
laudable  hope  of  initiating  such  measures  as  will  prevent  the 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  I  88  I.  9I 

entire  destruction  of  our  noble  forests  by  the  relentless  woods- 
man's onward  march,  and  perhaps  ultimately  secure  a  suitable 
tract  for  a  public  park. 

Memorial  sevices  on  the  decease  of  the  President  were  held 
in  the  First  Methodist  church,  in  Park  square,  on  the  26th  of 
September.  Some  public  and  many  private  buildings  were 
appropriately  draped. 

The  Hon.  Enoch  Redington  Mudge  died  very  suddenly,  on 
Saturday,  October  i,  at  his  beautiful  summer  residence  in  Swamp- 
scott.  He  was  at  his  place  of  business,  in  Boston,  on  Friday, 
and  towards  night  called  to  inspect  the  concluding  work  on  St. 
Stephen's  Memorial  Church.  Up  to  the  time  of  retirement  he 
appeared  to  be  in  his  usual  health  ;  but  on  Saturday  morning, 
before  rising,  was  seized  by  a  severe  pain  in  the  head.  Medical 
attendance  was  promptly  summoned  and  every  effort  made  for 
his  relief,  but  all  without  effect,  and  before  noon  he  had  breathed 
his  last.  The  death  of  no  one  in  this  community  has  produced 
more  wide-spread  and  unfeigned  sorrow,  for  he  was  universally 
respected  for  his  integrity  as  a  business  man,  his  great  liberality 
in  the  furtherance  of  all  good  works,  and  for  his  christian  princi- 
ples, and  genial  manners.  By  diligence,  enterprise,  and  uncom- 
mon business  capacity,  he  had  accumulated  a  large  fortune, 
which  he  evidently  regarded  as  entrusted  to  him  for  the  benefit 
of  his  fellow-men.  For  many  of  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he 
was  extensively  concerned  in  cotton  and  woolen  manufacturing 
though  in  earlier  manhood  his  attention  was  directed  to  other 
employments. 

That  he  was  a  man  of  cultivated  taste,  and  a  true  lover  of  the 
beautiful  in  nature  and  art,  his  delightful  home  at  Swampscott, 
in  its  surroundings  and  interior  appointments,  abundantly  testi- 
fied. And  in  St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church  future  generations 
will  behold  enduring  evidence  not  only  of  his  liberality,  parental 
love,  and  christian  faith,  but  also  of  his  elevated  conception  of 
grace  and  adaptation. 

Mr.  Mudge  undoubtedly  regarded  the  erection  of  St.  Stephen's 
as  the  crowning  work  of  his  life.  And  that  elegant  structure  will 
long  remain  his  noblest  visible  monument.  It  is  gratifying  to 
think  that  he  lived  to  see  the  work  well-nigh  completed,  though 
we  may  lament  that  in  the  ways  of  a  mysterious  Providence  he 
was  not  spared  for  a  few  additional  days  that  he  might  witness 
the  solemn  ceremony  of  consecration  ;  a  consummation  he  so 
devoutly  contemplated.  His  sudden  decease  sent  a  thrill  through 
the  community  such  is  rarely  experienced.  And  the  numerous 
meetings  that  were  held  in  Boston  and  elsewhere  by  the  business 
men  and  by  public  associations,  and  the  eulogistic  addresses  and 
resolutions  of  sympathy,  showed  that  one  held   in  far  more  than 


92  ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  I  88  I. 

ordinary  esteem  had  passed  away.  And  it  spoke  well  for  the 
elevated  tone  of  society  that  such  appreciative  tributes  were  so 
spontaneously  offered  to  the  memory  of  such  a  man. 

In  person,  Mr.  Mudge  was  of  full  medium  size,  remarkably 
well  formed,  dignified  in  manners,  and  always  attentive  to  those 
who  addressed  him,  whether  high  or  low.  He  was  quick  of  ap- 
prehension, self-possessed,  decided  in  his  views,  and  able  at  all 
times  to  give  a  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  him.  It  was 
impossible  for  one  to  have  intercourse  with  him  for  an  hour  and 
not  perceive  that  he  was  a  man  of  superior  mental  endowment. 
And  those  who  had  fellowship  with  him  in  church  work  were  at 
once  impressed  with  his  fidelity  to  his  clearly-defined  principles, 
his  bright,  cheerful  anticipations,  and  his  freedom  from  bigotry. 

For  political  honors  he  did  not  aspire,  though  at  one  time  he 
served  in  the  State  Senate.  Yet  he  took  commendable  interest 
in  public  affairs,  labored  and  expended  liberally  for  the  advance- 
ment of  enterprises  that  he  believed  were  for  the  public  good. 
He  manifested  especial  interest  in  the  young  business  men  — 
they  who  were  soon  to  take  the  places  of  the  generation  of  which 
he  was  a  member  —  gave  lectures  to  them,  in  Boston,  and  im- 
proved every  opportunity  to  urge  upon  them  the  formation  of 
habits  of  strict  integrity,  industry,  and  moral  rectitude,  as  the 
ground  on  which  alone  permanent  prosperity  could  rest.  Though 
he  made  no  pretensions  as  an  orator,  he  was  yet  a  very  effective 
speaker,  and  one  who  always  secured  the  close  attention  of  his 
auditors.  His  style  was  earnest  and  indicative  of  his  own  deep 
convictions.  His  language  was  well  chosen,  his  points  concisely 
presented,  and  his  arguments  effective  from  resting  on  a  basis 
of  sound  common  sense. 

The  burial  service  over  the  remains  of  Mr.  Mudge  was  held  in 
St.  Stephen's  Church  —  then  just  on  the  verge  of  completion  — 
on  Tuesday,  October  4.  It  was  the  first  service  ever  held  within 
those  walls,  was  simple,  and  in  strict  accordance  with  the  rubrics. 
The  edifice  was  entirely  filled,  large  numbers  of  distinguished 
persons  from  abroad,  and  many  of  the  clergy  being  present.  And 
the  large  attendance  of  our  own  citizens  of  all  classes,  afforded 
.  grateful  assurance  of  the  wide-spread  sympathy  for  the  bereaved 
family.  The  remains  were  conveyed  to  the  cloister  garth,  and 
there,  with  prayer,  and  sacred  melody,  and  words  of  heavenly 
promise,  and  amid  the  tears  of  loved  kindred,  committed  to  their 
final  resting  place. 

Mr.  Mudge  was  born  in  Orrington,  Me.,  on  the  twenty-second 
of  March,  1812,  and  was  a  son  of  Rev.  Enoch  Mudge,  a  native 
of  Lynn,  of  whom  a  brief  biographical  notice  may  be  found  in 
our  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn.  At  an  early  age  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Caroline  A.  Patten  of  Portland, 
Me.,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  the  mother. 


Interior  of  St.  Stephen's  Church.  Lynn. 

On  a  leaf  preceding  the  title-page  of  this  volume  is  a  good  view  of  the  exterior  of  this  fine  edifice.  For  ■ 
an  historical  sketch  of  Episcopal  worship  in  Lynn,  see  page  •2-59.  For  a  biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Mudge,j 
donor  of  the  Church,  see  page  91.     And  for  consecration  services,  see  page  93.  j 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  I  88  I.  93 

one  son,  and  two  daughters  surviving  him.  His  eldest  son, 
Charles  Redington,  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Union  forces,  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863,  and  his  eldest 
daughter,  Fanny  Olive,  died  July  23,  1879.  -^^^^  i"  rnemory  of 
those  beloved  children  the  costly  tablets  in  the  south  interior 
wall  were  placed  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  church. 

A  fire  occurred  early  on  the  morning  of  October  27,  in  the 
stable  of  A.  H.  Bosworth,  on  Willow  street,  destroying  property 
to  the  amount  of  $600. 

The  National  Security  Bank  of  Lynn  commenced  business  on 
Tuesday,  November  i,  Benjamin  F.  Spinney,  president,  David  J. 
Lord,  cashier;  capital,  $100,000.  This  is  the  fourth  bank  of 
discount  in  Lynn. 

St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church  was  consecrated  on  Wednes- 
day, November  2,  and  the  services,  conducted  according  to  the 
prescribed  order,  were  extremely  impressive.  Many  distinguished 
clergymen  and  others  from  abroad  were  present,  and  there  was  a 
large  attendance  of  our  own  citizens.  Bishop  Paddock  of  the 
Massachusetts  Diocese  and  Bishop  Neely  of  Maine,  took  parts 
in  the  exercises  ;  and  Bishop  Huntington  of  Central  New  York, 
delivered  the  sermon.  The  beautiful  edifice  was  erected  by  Hon. 
Enoch  Redington  Mudge,  for  the  use  of  St.  Stephen's  parish,  and 
had  become  doubly  hallowed  by  his  own  sudden  decease  and  burial 
within  its  walls.  What  wonder  then  that  a  large  and  sympa- 
thetic concourse  should  have  gathered.  The  corner  stone  was 
laid  on  the  19th  of  May,  1880.  There  were  present  on  that 
occasion  also  a  large  number  of  prominent  clergymen.  Bishop 
Paddock  delivered  an  address  ;  and  under  the  stone  was  placed 
an  engraved  copper  tablet  stating  that  the  building  was  to  be 
reared  as  a  thank-offering  to  God  and  in  memory  of  a  deceased 
son  and  daughter  ;  to  remain  a  house  of  worship,  for  the  use 
of  St.  Stephen's  parish,  in  conformity  to  the  rites,  ceremonies, 
usages  and  canons  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the 
United  States.  The  edifice  will  be  known  as  St.  Stephen's 
Memorial  Church.  But  the  design  of  the  donor  was  not  merely 
commemorative  of  his  deceased  children,  dear  as  they  were.  His 
greater  object  was  to  do  something  noble  for  the  spiritual  eleva- 
tion of  the  community  in  which  he  felt  such  a  glowing  interest  ; 
and  had  his  children  lived  he  would  have  done  some  great  work 
for  that  end.  But  his  martial  son  had  laid  his  life  on  his  country's 
altar,  and  the  thought  came  of  a  Christian  soldier's  most  befitting 
monument. 

The  Sanborn  School  House,  in  Ward  2,  (Glenmere,)  was  dedi- 
cated on  Monday,  December  5.  The  name  was  in  honor  of  Jere- 
miah Sanborn,  a  former  teacher  in  the  ward. 

As  noted  under  the  proper  date,  horse  rail-road  cars  first  began 


94  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1881. 

to  run  in  the  streets  of  Lynn,  Nov.  29,  i860.  They  were  found 
to  be  of  very  great  convenience,  especially  to  working  people 
whose  employment  was  in  the  manufactories  in  the  central  parts. 
And  though  for  some  time  the  pioneer  company  did  not  realise 
much  from  their  pecuniary  investment,  by  perseverance,  fair 
dealing,  and  efforts  to  accommodate,  they  gained  the  confidence 
and  good-will  of  the  community,  and  finally  secured  to  themselves 
generous  returns.  As  exigences  seemed  to  require  the  lines  have 
been  extended  to  different  neighborhoods,  and  come  to  be  con- 
sidered very  important  auxiliaries  to  our  prosperity.  The  cheap 
lands  in  the  suburbs  afford  opportunities  to  many  of  limited 
means  to  secure  pleasant  homes,  free  from  the  damaging  neces- 
sity of  frequent  removals  ;  and  by  such  the  street  rail-way  is 
highly  appreciated. 

Some  of  those  wise  prognosticators  who  may  always  be  found 
endeavoring  to  disturb  the  equanimity  of  naturally  apprehensive 
minds,  predicted  that  the  year  1881  would  be  distinguished  for 
remarkable  and  disastrous  occurrences  if  indeed  it  was  not  to 
witness  the  end  of  all  earthly  things.  Dire  celestial  phenomena, 
atmospheric  disturbances,  calamities  by  fire  and  flood,  were 
among  the  promised  woes.  As  far  as  certain  parts  of  the  world 
were  concerned  there  was  a  verification  of  some  of  the  predictions, 
hurricanes,  floods,  and  conflagrations,  attended  by  startling  inci- 
dents, taking  place.  The  number  of  shipwrecks  was  remarkably 
large,  and  the  loss  of  life  by  their  means  and  by  conflagrations 
was  appaling.  But  in  this  favored  region  nothing  of  a  very  ex- 
traordinary nature  took  place.  A  couple  of  rather  pale  comets 
decorated  the  heavens  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer ;  indeed 
not  less  than  seven  of  those  erratic  wanderers  were  reported  as 
appearing  within  the  range  of  telescopic  vision  during  the  year. 
A  rattling  thunder  storm  occupied  the  evening  of  Decoration 
Day.  And  a  few  uncomfortably  sudden  changes  of  temperature 
took  place.  Then  there  was  the  "  yellow  day,"  September  6,  and 
the  beautiful  aerial  phantom  on  the  night  of  September  12.  These 
were  about  the  sum  of  our  share  of  wonders.  We  had  no  severe 
drought,  steam-boat  or  rail-road  disaster,  no  great  conflagration, 
hurricane,  or  flood.  Still,  in  many  unreflecting  and  superstitious 
minds  there  lingered  through  the  whole  year  vague  apprehensions 
of  brooding  evil.  The  literary  forgery  known  as  "  Mother  Ship- 
ton's  Prophesies,"  purporting  to  have  been  made  in  1448,  and  to 
foretell  at  least  one  event  of  some  importance  that  was  to  happen 
in  this  pregnant  year  1881,  strangely  enough,  created  real  alarm 
in  minds  that  would  have  been  supposed  far  above  such  influ- 
ences. The  matter  was  rather  cunningly  devised,  and  to  the 
unthinking  mind  that  entertained  no  doubt  of  the  genuineness 
of  the  predictions,  the  allusions  to  steam,  the  electric-telegraph, 
iron  ships,  California,  the  British  premier  Disraeli,  &c.,  must  have 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN —  1881.  95 

come  with  alarming  force.  But  let  us  give  place  to  a  few  of  the 
occult  lines,  for  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  "  Prophesies  "  may  in 
the  future,  with  a  modification  or  two  be  presented  afresh.  It 
does  seem  as  if  every  generation  must  have  some  such  mysteri- 
ous chapter  to  ponder  over. 

"  Carriages  without  horses  shall  go. 
Around  the  world  thoughts  shall  fly 
In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
Iron  in  the  water  shall  float 
As  easy  as  a  wooden  boat. 
Gold  shall  be  found,  and  found 
In  a  land  that 's  not  now  known. 
Fire  and  water  shall  more  wonders  do. 
England  shall  at  last  admit  a  Jew. 

*  *  * 

The  world  then  to  an  end  shall  come 
In  eighteen  hundred  and  eighty-one." 

In  concluding  these  remarks  on  what  may  be  called  some  of  the 
popular  vagaries  of  the  day,  it  may  be  well  to  add  that  in  various 
parts  of  the  country  professed  scientists,  who  are  expected  to 
keep  an  eye  on  nature  as  she  pursues  her  marvelous  develop- 
ments, propounded  new  theories  and  claimed  extraordinary  dis- 
coveries. It  was  alleged,  for  instance,  by  an  Ohio  astronomer, 
that  in  consequence  of  "  the  change  in  the  parallelism  of  the 
axis  of  rotation  of  the  earth,  which  took  place  during  a  superior 
planetary  conjunction,  October  ii,  1877,  the  United  States  are 
now  in  the  torrid  zone."  Finally,  we  may  as  well  record  our  own 
"prophecy  ;"  which  is  that  all  such  predictions  as  the  foregoing 
will  fail  in  the  future,  as  they  have  failed  in  the  past. 

In  closing  our  chapter  of  Annals,  it  is  not  deemed  necessary 
to  occupy  space  with  a  formal  recapitulation.  The  matter  has 
been  so  arranged  that  it  is  thought  anything  in  the  book  can 
be  readily  found  by  reference  to  the  index.  Such  statistical 
items  as  seemed  most  aptly  to  exhibit  our  progress  and  condition 
at  different  periods,  and  most  interesting  to  the  general  reader, 
have  been  given.  But  for  many  details,  useful  and  interesting 
to  a  class,  but  dry  and  useless  to  others,  resort  may  be  had  to 
published  municipal  documents. 

In  the  matter  of  business  energy  and  enterprise,  Lynn  stands 
among  the  foremost  in  New  England.  But  for  some  reason  her 
reputation  abroad  for  intellectual  development  and  scholarly 
attainment  has  not  been  enviable.  We  must  work  for  a  change. 
It  is  not  easy  to  give  any  reliable  data  on  which  an  accurate 
judgment  of  the  progress  and  condition  of  intelligence  and 
mental  discipline  among  us,  can  be  predicated.  Our  people  are 
great  readers  ;  but  the  quality  of  the  reading  should  be  taken 
into  account  before  a  proper  estimate  of  its  usefulness  can  be 
made.     The  Free  Public  Library  has  now  about  30.000  volumes, 


96  ANNALS    OF    LYNN I  88 1. 

and  the  average  daily  delivery  amounts  to  about  500.  This  is  a 
large  circulation,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  lies  with  the  young 
work-people,  who,  in  some  sense  as  a  relief  from  daily  toil,  peruse 
the  lighter  works,  which,  though  by  no  means  positively  perni- 
cious, are  liable  to  usurp  the  place  of  those  which  would  be 
more  conducive  to  mental  health  and  growth.  It  may  be  said 
that  if  the  class  to  whom  we  refer  cannot  procure  the  desired 
books  they  will  not  read  any  thing  ;  and  in  that  light  it  is  per- 
haps well  to  keep  up  the  supply,  looking  to  reformation  in  the 
future,  which  may  gradually  come  about,  for  the  shelves  are  well 
provided  with  attractive  works  of  solid  character.  The  circulation 
of  newspapers  in  Lynn  has  increased  with  astonishing  rapidity 
within  a  dozen  years.  Almost  every  one  must  now  have  his 
daily  paper,  and  if  all  those  connected  with  the  editorial  profession 
would  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  press,  avoiding  the  merely 
sensational  and  frivolous,  what  an  influence  they  would  have  in 
elevating  the  tone  of  society  and  shaping  its  destinies.  At  this 
time  there  are  not  probably  less  than  14.000  daily  papers  circu- 
lated in  Lynn,  and  of  other  publications  large  numbers  ;  and 
while,  for  the  most  part,  they  are  of  a  character  worthy  of  com- 
mendation, a  few  could  be  spared  without  detriment.  All  that  it 
seems  necessary  to  say  of  our  65  public  Schools,  appears  else- 
where. They  are  doubtless  in  good  condition  as  measured  by 
the  apparent  requirements  of  the  day  and  as  compared  with 
institutions  of  similar  grade  in  other  places  ;  but  future  times 
will  have  other  views  and  demands. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


"  On,  on,  the  generations  march  ! 
Resistless,  pauseless  !     But  they  leave 
Their  footprints  ineffaceable 
As  is  the  starry  tracery  on  high. 
Their  words  still  linger,  airily, 
Like  breathings  from  the  spirit  homes  I" 


INTRODUCTION. 

It  is  proposed  to  give,  in  this  Chapter,  Biographical  Sketches  — 
or  perhaps  it  should  rather  be  said  in  regard  to  many  of  them, 
brief  Personal  Notices  —  of  some  of  the  people  of  Lynn  who 
have  become  more  or  less  strongly  marked  by  their  integrity  of 
chara6ler  and  their  efforts  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  the 
place ;  or  even,  peradventure,  of  those  who  by  their  abnormal 
ways  have  afforded  useful  allurements  or  warnings  ;  for,  from  the 
delinquences  and  miscarriages,  the  buffetings  and  failures  of 
some,  as  well  as  from  the  fidelity  and  success  of  others,  we  may 
as  certainly  receive  useful  guidance  as  may  the  mariner  from  the 
occasionally  lurching  as  well  as  from  the  ever-constant  buoy. 

As  the  parent  survives  and  continues  an  extended  existence 
in  the  lives  of  his  offspring,  so  the  good  member  of  society  lives 
an  extended  life  in  the  enduring  influence  of  his  deeds  and  exam- 
ple, often  accumulating  power  as  time  recedes.  There  is  a  fasci- 
nation in  the  tracing  of  family  connexions.  In  so  doing,  to  be  sure, 
one  sometimes  falls  on  an  individual  who  does  no  credit  to  his 
lineage  ;  but  such  may  be  silently  passed  by  ;  and  it  must  be  a 
very  low-conditioned  family  that  in  the  course  of  generations  can 
present  no  honorable  example.  But  how  little  do  we  know  of  the 
estimation  in  which  an  individual  who  lived  even  a  few  years 

(97)  7 


98  Biographical   Sketches.     Introdu£lion. 

before  ourselves,  was  held  by  his  cotemporaries.  The  prominent 
features  of  character  survive  ;  but  the  minor  lights  and  shades 
are  obscured  ;  the  petulance  of  the  churlish  and  the  vagaries 
of  the  conceited  have  faded  away  in  the  lustre  of  their  better 
qualities. 

The  plan  adopted  in  the  1865  edition  of  our  History  of  Lynn, 
will  not  be  so  closely  followed,  here,  as  has  been  done  in  the 
chapter  of  Annals,  as  it  is  thought  that  some  variations  will  be 
improvements.  As  alphabetical  arrangement  is  always  conve- 
nient, that  will  be  pursued.  And  to  make  the  whole  as  plain 
and  comprehensive  as  possible,  the  names  of  a  class  of  individ- 
uals, who  were  not  natives,  will  appear,  with  references  to  the 
dates  in  the  Annals  under  which  some  account  of  them  may  be 
found.  In  short,  it  is  proposed  to  give  in  the  following  pages 
what  will  enable  the  reader  to  refer  to  any  biographical  notice, 
whether  of  a  native  or  otherwise,  or  whether  it  is  to  be  found  in 
this  volume  or  in  that  of  1865.  In  a  few  instances,  too,  notable 
persons  spoken  of  under  different  dates  in  the  Annals  will  receive 
brief  connefted  notices.  And  furthermore,  lest  the  reader  who 
may  not  fully  observe  our  plan,  should  discover  a  seemingly 
unwarrantable  omission,  here  and  there,  it  is  thought  proper  to 
introduce  a  few  names  with  references  to  accounts  in  other  places 
than  the  regular  History ;  for  instance  to  the  Mayors,  of  whom 
sketches,  with  portraits,  are  given  in  the  "  Centenn  j.1  Memorial." 

In  our  many  notices  we  shall  endeavor  to  give  fair  glimpses 
of  chara6ler,  not  unreasonably  magnifying  mediocrity  nor  unjustly 
exhibiting  blemishes.  The  more  prodigal  one  is  of  his  compli- 
ments, the  more  he  lessens  their  value ;  and  unjust  censure 
recoils  upon  himself.  It  will  not  be  inferred  that  the  individuals 
here  brought  to  notice  are  the  only  ones  spoken  of  in  our  An- 
nals. Many  more  are  there  named  and  their  meritorious  doings 
alluded  to,  as  a  reference  to  the  indexes  will  enable  any  one  to 
perceive.  Mere  genealogies  of  families,  of  course,  are  not  to 
any  extent  given.  They  are  but  skeletons  without  flesh  ;  inter- 
esting, indeed,  to  the  near  kindred,  but  not  to  the  general  reader 
Of  course  the  names  of  a  great  many  worthy  people  do  not 
appear  at  all  in  the  connection,  as  it  is  by  no  means  intended  to 
present  an  annotated  direftory.  But  it  is  sought  to  introduce  a 
meet  representative  or  two  from  the  various  walks  of  life.     No 


Biographical  Sketches.     Introdu6lion.  99 

person  living  has  not,  in  addition  to  his  modest  self-appreciation 
some  friend  to  whom  he  would  be  glad  to  see  a  tribute  paid. 
But  in  a  work  of  this  kind  it  devolves  on  the  author  to  discrim- 
inate, and  endeavor  to  present,  within  reasonable  limits,  what 
seems,  on  the  whole,  to  be  likely  to  result  in  the  greatest  good. 
An  attempt  to  delineate  charadler  is  always  a  delicate  task,  and 
especially  so  when  a  cotemporary  is  the  subject  ;  for  we  necessa- 
rily view  our  travelling  companions  along  life's  road  in  different 
lights  and  from  different  stand-points  ;  and  hence  what  one 
might  pronounce  a  faithful  delineation,  another  might  look  upon 
as  distorted.  Some  look  deep  down  for  the  principles  from 
which  actions  spring,  while  others  look  only  to  surface  indica- 
tions. But  there  is  a  kind  of  fellow-traveller  whose  companion- 
ship very  few  of  us  much  esteem  ;  namely,  the  one  who  is  prone 
to  make  those  about  him  uncomfortable  by  unnecessary  com- 
plaints, ill-formed  conceits,  and  irregularities  of  temper.  To  his 
cotemporaries  he  is  always  disagreeable  ;  and  if  he  be  a  man  of 
real  genius  and  worth  must  look  to  future  generations  for  a  just 
estimate  of  his  merits,  they  not  being  tried  by  his  vaporings. 
This  refleftion,  perhaps  impertinent,  forced  itself  upon  the  writer 
as  the  image  of  one  of  whom  a  sketch  has  already  been  prepared, 
came  up  before  his  mind.  We  will  call  him  Mr.  G.  He  long 
since  passed  away,  and  his  name  is  now  among  the  choicest  in 
the  keeping  •;;f  our  people.  A  little  anecdote  will  serve  to  illus- 
trate our  meaning  as  well  as  the  degree  of  honor  awarded  him  in 
his  own  time ;  though  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  there  were 
those  who,  while  he  yet  remained  among  us,  duly  estimated  his 
superior  endowments,  having  power  to  penetrate  the  sometimes 
repulsive  haze  that  obscured  his  better  nature.  On  an  afternoon, 
nearly  forty  years  ago,  the  writer,  in  passing  through  Central 
square  observed  mounted  on  a  wagon  that  stood  there  an  indi- 
vidual well  known  throughout  the  town  as  a  half-lunatic,  but 
shrewd,  observing,  and  fond  of  indulging  in  sarcastic  remarks. 
He  was  delivering  a  rambling  oration  to  the  motley  assembly 
gathered  around.  Just  then  Mr.  G.  came  along.  The  orator 
caught  sight  of  him,  and  suspending  his  discourse  called  out, 

"  Here,  here,  Mr.  G ,  I  have  something  to  say  to  you.     Pray 

stop  a  moment  and  hear  me."     This  salutation  was  of  course 
unheeded,  and  Mr.  G,  moved  along  with  his  accustomed  dignity. 


loo  Biographical  Sketches,      Adams.     Alley. 

The  other  repeated  the  call,  but  with  no  better  success  ;  and 
then,  with  an  air  of  mingled  chagrin  and  contempt,  added, 
"  Well,  well,  my  friend  !  so  you  won't  notice  me,  will  you  ?  I 
suppose  you  call  yourself  up  in  the  world  and  think  I  'm  down, 
do  n't  you  ?  We  all  know  you  're  up-ish,  and  I  'm  derry-down. 
But  before  heaven  I  do  n't  believe  there  's  much  to  choose 
between  us.  We  both  act  like  the  devil ! "  The  shout  that 
went  up  from  the  crowd  at  that  sally  may  be  imagined.  After 
the  explosion,  the  orator  calmly  resumed  his  harangue,  and  the 
whole  assembly  seemed  to  feel  that  the  popular  mind  had  been 
expressed.  But  the  time  has  now  arrived  when  the  displeasing 
foibles  of  Mr.  G.  are  forgotten,  and  his  name  stands  high  on 
the  roll  of  those  we  delight  to  honor.  His  many  worthy  deeds 
are  gratefully  remembered  ;  his  minor  blemishes,  which  so  an- 
noyed those  of  his  own  generation,  are  buried  with  him.  As  there 
are  among  the  individuals  of  whom  we  shall  speak,  some  of  like 
charadleristics,  this  illustration  may  not  be  without  its  use  in 
making  up  our  judgment.  It  will,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that 
moral  defe6l  is  to  be  regarded  in  a  very  different  light  from 
mere  social  indecorum. 

With  these  remarks  and  explanations  we  proceed  to  give  our 
imperfedl  notices. 


Adams,  Rev.  Benjamin,  minister  of  Lynnfield  parish  twenty- 
one  years,  including  the  trying  period  immediately  preceding 
the  Revolution,  and  the  opening  stages  of  the  conflict.  He  was 
patriotic,  though  less  stirring  and  conspicuous  than  the  two 
other  ministers  —  Roby  and  Treadwell  —  then  settled  in  Lynn. 
The  ministers  of  the  country  parishes,  very  generally,  manifested 
commendable  zeal  in  the  provincial  cause,  and  in  their  ardent 
exhortations  frequently  exhibited  a  spirit  that  would  ill-accord 
with  modern  views  of  the  sacred  vocation.  The  ultimate  success 
of  the  cause  is  in  no  small  degree  attributable  to  their  urgent 
and  persistent  appeals.  The  Lynn  ministers  certainly  did  their 
part.     See  Annals,  date  1777. 

Alley,  Hugh  and  John.  These  two  settlers,  who  appeared 
here  as  early  as   1640,  were  farmers,  and  located  in  the  vicinity 


Biographical  Sketches.     Armitage.  loi 

of  Market  street.  From  them  descended  the  numerous  persons 
of  the  name  who  have  for  many  years  been  numbered  in  our 
population.  Some  of  these  descendants  have  made  favorable 
marks  in  their  generation.  Solomon  Alley  was  one  of  the 
"  Flower  of  Essex,"  in  Lathrop's  command,  and  was  killed  in 
the  Indian  massacre  at  Bloody  Brook,  in  1675. 

In  former  years  many  of  the  family  were  members  of  the 
Quaker  society,  which  may  in  a  measure  account  for  their  not 
more  frequently  appearing  in  public  life.  In  the  letter  of  the 
Quakers  of  Lynn,  to  Governor  Dudley,  dated  "22th  4m°  1703," 
giving  a  list  of  those  of  the  faith  here,  appears  the  name 
of  Hugh  Alley,  who  was  probably  a  grandson  of  the  one  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  notice.  There  was  a  Captain 
Hugh  Alley  who  commanded  a  small  schooner-rigged  vessel 
running  from  Lynn  to  Boston,  which  seems  to  have  been  very 
successful  in  his  day  of  limited  carrying  trade.  He  continued 
in  the  business  some  years,  the  land  route  being  circuitous, 
rutty  and  rough.  Hon.  John  B.  Alley,  the  first  Congressional 
Representative  from  Lynn  is  of  this  respectable  lineage.  John 
Alley,  father  of  the  last  named,  was  a  very  stirring  and  thrifty 
business  man,  though  not  without  conspicuous  eccentricities. 
He  built  the  Railroad  House,  opposite  the  southern  end  of  Mar- 
ket street ;  also  the  dam  near  the  foot  of  Pleasant  street,  thus 
forming  the  capacious  mill-pond.  He  was,  in  his  earlier  years, 
a  member  of  the  Quaker  society ;  participated  in  the  troubles 
there,  in  1822,  and  subsequently  seemed  quite  unsettled  in  his 
religious  views  ;  yet  he  maintained  a  high  character  for  integrity 
and  neighborly-kindness. 

The  christian  names  Hugh  and  John  seem  to  have  prevailed 
in  the  Alley  family  for  many  generations.  Hugh  Alye,  "  citizen 
and  wever,  of  London,"  died  in  1533,  leaving  a  son  John  and 
daughter  Elizabeth.  He  was  buried  in  Saint  Mildred's,  and 
"  Maude  Croumwell,  late  wife  of  Richard  Croumwell "  was  exec- 
utrix of  his  estate.     See  Annals,  1640  and  other  early  dates. 

Armitage,  Joseph.  This  individual  figures  somewhat  largely 
in  our  early  history.  He  made  his  appearance  here  in  1630,  and 
was  a  tailor  by  trade.  In  those  primitive  times,  however,  the 
permanency  of  fashions,  the  scarcity  of  material,  and  the  necessity 


102  BiOGR.\PHicAL  SKETCHES.     Avmitagc. 

of  household  economy,  conspired  to  make  the  calls  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  artistic  skill  quite  limited,  and  we  are  not  surprised  tc 
find  him  turning  his  attention  to  occupations  that  promised  more 
satisfactory  returns.  In  him  was  exemplified  that  fruitfulness 
of  resource  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  at  least  one  leading 
trait  of  true  Yankee  character  ;  and  very  likely,  had  a  wider  field 
opened  for  the  exercise  of  his  peculiar  talents,  he  might  have 
attained  a  more  conspicuous  position,  and  been  more  thrifty  in  a 
pecuniary  way  ;  as,  after  all,  notwithstanding  his  industry  and 
frugality,  he  lived  and  died  a  poor  man.  There  is,  indeed,  little 
art  in  financiering,  for  whoever  lives  within  his  means  and  pays 
his  debts  is  successful.  And  this  simple  rule  applies  as  well  to 
nations  as  individuals.  But  the  speculative  mind  is  not  content 
to  take  this  rational  view,  and  must  experiment  among  doubtful 
projects. 

The  ill-success  of  Mr.  Armitage,  however,  may,  in  part  at  least, 
have  been  attributable  to  his  fondness  for  lawsuits,  than  which 
hardly  anything  can  be  more  detrimental,  direftly  and  indireftly, 
to  the  interests  of  the  average  citizen.  The  law  is  an  extremely 
hazardous  resort ;  and  it  may  be  safely  said  that  if  some  among 
us  who  waste  their  substance  in  pursuing  it,  would  only  apply 
the  means  thus  squandered  to  the  payment  of  their  honest  debts, 
they  would  not  pass  their  whole  business  lives  on  the  verge 
of  bankruptcy,  nor  be  always  forced  to  confront  the  claims  of 
charity  with  the  argument  of  an  empty  purse.  The  writer  once 
knew  two  brothers  in  the  very  neighborhood  where  the  humble 
dwelling  of  Mr.  Armitage  stood,  who  began  life  as  prosperous 
farmers,  and  soon,  with  what  they  inherited,  possessed  enough 
to  call  themselves  moderately  rich.  But  unfortunately,  from 
some  unaccountable  cause,  both  became  fascinated  by  the  law 
and  were  seldom  without  a  suit  or  two  on  hand.  When  they 
were  well  along  in  years,  the  writer  asked  one  what  made  him 
waste  so  much  time  and  money  in  such  unprofitable  business. 
"  Why,"  said  he  "  it  is  the  best  amusement  I  have.  It  is  an 
exciting  game  of  chance,  and  I  like  it.  I  sometimes  gain  and 
sometimes  lose.  My  brother  likes  it,  too  ;  and  when  we  cannot 
get  up  a  lawsuit  with  any  one  else  we  can  with  each  other."  Both 
of  these  sturdy  yeomen  are  now  dead  ;  and  they  died  poor  ;  they 
had  the  music  and  paid  the  piper.     It  is  safe  to  conclude  that 


Biographical  Sketches.     Armitage.  103 

there  is  something  wrong  about  the  man  who  is  always  engaged 
in  lawsuits. 

As  the  first  landlord  of  the  Anchor  Tavern,  Mr.  Armitage  is 
best  known,  he  having  opened  that  famous  house  of  entertain- 
ment when  it  must  have  been  a  seriously  doubtful  enterprise, 
considering  the  limited  number  of  travellers.  But  it  was  not  a 
Fifth  Avenue  establishment,  though  great  men  were  sometimes 
entertained  there.  He  was  licensed  to  "  draw  wine,"  and  perhaps 
hoped  to  derive  most  profit  from  that  questionable  source,  though 
his  hopes  could  hardly  have  been  realized,  if  he  was  often  so 
indiscreet  as  to  render  himself  liable  to  be  fined  for  negle6l 
of  duty,  as  he  appears  to  have  been  on  one  occasion  in  165 1, 
which  occasion  is  indicated  by  the  following  entry  on  the  Court 
records  :  "  In  ans"^  to  the  petition  of  Joseph  Armitage  ffor  an 
abatement  of  a  fine  of  five  pounds,  imposed  on  him  for  not 
acquainting  the  counstable  of  a  psons  being  drunke  in  his  com- 
pany, as  the  law  requires,  the  Court  sees  no  cawse  to  abate  the 
petitioner  any  part  of  that  fine." 

The  houses  of  entertainment,  of  those  days,  though  useful  and 
even  necessary  for  the  accommodation  of  travellers,  were  not 
probably  to  be  much  prized  for  their  neighborhood  influences,  as 
they  were  often  the  resort  of  the  lazy  and  gossiping  townsmen 
who  there  passed  hours  of  idleness  over  their  tankards  of  flip, 
in  the  haze  of  tobacco  smoke.  Yet,  when  the  presiding  spirit 
himself  happened  to  be  of  high  character  and  able  to  gather 
around  him  kindred  spirits  they  no  doubt  became  meeting  places 
for  the  discussion  of  matters  of  the  greatest  importance. 

It  is  evident  that  Mr.  Armitage  was  a  stirring  if  not  a  meddle- 
some man,  and  did  not  confine  his  attentions  to  any  particular 
class  or  calling.  And  upon  the  Court  records  here  and  there 
appear  indications  that  he  was  one  of  the  many  who  find  it  diflfi- 
cult  to  see  how  the  public  good  can  be  reached  excepting  by 
the  road  that  leads  to  their  own  personal  advantage. 

The  Armitages  —  for  Joseph  was  not  the  only  one  of  the  name 
who  appeared  in  Lynn  during  the  early  days  —  seem  to  have 
belonged  to  a  family  of  some  note  in  the  old  country.  Here, 
however,  though  not  what  would  be  called  a  shiftless,  they  were 
yet  a  shifting  race.  Godfrey,  mentioned  in  our  Annals,  under  date 
1630,  removed  to  Boston  ;  and  Thomas,  whose  name  does  not 


104  Biographical  Sketches.     Armitage. 

appear  in  the  Annals,  but  who,  according  to  Savage,  was  for  a 
time  commorant  here,  and  who  came  from  Bristol,  in  the  ship 
James,  in  1635,  a  fellow  passenger  with  Richard  Mather,  was 
one  of  the  Sandwich  settlers,  in  1637  ;  from  there  he  went  to 
Stamford,  then  to  Oyster  Bay,  on  Long  Island ;  and  in  1647 
he  appeared  among  the  Hempstead  settlers. 

Returning  for  a  moment  more  to  Joseph  and  his  destru6live 
lawsuits,  we  will  transcribe  the  testimony  of  one  of  the  witnesses 
in  an  a6lion  brought  against  him  by  John  Ruck,  administrator, 
at  the  June  term  of  the  Essex  County  Court,  in  1671  :  "The 
testimony  of  Christopher  Lawson,  of  Boston,  aged  55  years  or 
Thereabouts :  This  Deponent  saith,  that  haueing  beene  acquainted 
these  five  or  six  and  twenty  years  with  the  dealings  betweene 
M''  Thomas  Ruck  of  Boston,  deceased,  &  Joseph  Hermitage  of 
Lyn,  &  haueing  beene  seuerall  times  at  the  transa6ling  of  them, 
as  appears  by  my  hand  to  diuers  papers  subscribed,  I  doe  very 
weil  remember  that  the  said  Thomas  Ruck  hath  giuen  him  credit 
from  time  to  time  &  y^  said  Hermitage  promised  to  pay  him 
thirty  pounds  in  money  in  London,  of  this  debt,  and  the  remain- 
der of  the  same  in  New  England,  to  his  content.  But  in  the 
year  1669  coming  to  Boston,  M^s  Eliz.  Ruck,  then  widdow,  made 
a  sad  complaint  to  me,  &  said  she  could  gett  nothing  of  y^  said 
Hermitage,  whereupon  I  spoke  with  Joseph  Hermitage  &  agi- 
tated the  business  with  him,  in  the  widdows  behalfe  ;  his  answer 
was  that  he  would  not  wrong  y^  widow  nor  fatherless,  but  would 
do  that  was  right  in  the  sight  of  God  &  man  ;  he  would  not 
wrong  her  of  a  penny,  with  many  solem  p'testations.  In  fine, 
the  said  Joseph  Armitage  &  Mrs  Ruck  bound  themselues  in  a 
bond  to  stand  to  y*^  arbitration  of  Capt.  Roger  Spenser  &  Chris- 
topher Lawson.  We  heard  both  their  pleas  &  allegations  & 
found  Joseph  Armitage  debtor  to  M^^^  Rucke,  upon  all  Accounts 
to  y^  value  of  aboute  Eighty  pounds  sterling,  which  we  thought 
was  more  than  he  was  able  to  pay  ;  we  found  likewise  a  bill 
of  exchange  to  England  for  Thirty  pounds  protested,  &  nothing 
paid  of  his  debt  in  New  England,  save  something  in  Wharfe 
wood  as  he  calls  it.  Whereupon  we  called  them  both  in  & 
desired  M^s  Rucke  to  take  twenty  pounds  glueing  him  some 
tyme  to  pay  it  &  forgiue  him  the  rest,  which  20/  he  should  pay 
at  Boston  in  money,  or  goods  at  money  price  within  such  a  tyme, 


Biographical  Sketches.     Armitage.  105 

as  appears  by  the  Arbitration  in  writeing,  and  yet  none  of  this 
was  performed  that  euer  I  heard  off.  This  is  the  true  state  of 
y^  case,  as  I  hau  beene  acquainted  with  it  from  first  to  last,  to 
my  best  knowledge.  Taken  upon  oath:  29  —  4™°  71  [June  29, 
1671.]  W™  Hathorne,  attest:"  This,  however,  appears  to  be 
simply  the  old,  old  case  —  "I  owe  but  cannot  pay  "  —  and  perhaps 
involves  no  element  to  the  especial  discredit  of  Mr.  Armitage. 

We  here  copy  an  ancient  document  which  will  in  these  pages 
be  a  number  of  times  referred  to  as  "  The  Armitage  Petition  " — 
a  petition  of  the  wife  of  Joseph  for  permission  herself  to  keep 
the  ordinary,  he  having  receded  into  the  back-ground.  It  is 
inserted  not  so  much  for  anything  of  special  interest  it  contains 
as  for  the  autographs  of  a  number  of  the  early  settlers  which  are 
appended,  fac-similes  of  which  are  given  —  among  them  that  of 
Godfrey,  brother  of  Joseph.  The  petition  itself,  we  have  little 
doubt,  is  in  the  hand-writing  of  Captain  Robert  Bridges, 

To  THE  Right  worll  the  Gouernor,  Deputie  Gouerno^  & 

THEIR    HONORED    ASSOTIATS  : 

The  Jiunible peticon  of  Jane,  wife  of  Joseph  Armitage : 

Humbly  sheweth  that  whereas  the  indigent  and  low  estate 
of  your  poore  peticonesse  is  evident  not  to  a  few,  in  as  much  as 
her  husbands  labours  &  indeauo^'s  haue  beene  blasted  and  his 
ames  &  ends  frustrated  by  a  iust  hand,  beinge  also  made  incapa- 
ble of  such  other  ymploym'  as  hee  is  personally  fitted  for  by 
reason  of  the  sensure  vnder  w'^'*  for  the  p''sent  hee  lyeth  &  alsoe 
being  outed  of  such  trade  &  comerce  as  might  haue  afforded 
supportacon  to  his  familie  consistinge  of  Diuers  p^'sons  &  small 
Children  in  comiseracon  of  whom,  togither  with  yo""  peticonesse, 
the  inhabitants  of  o"^  town  were  pleased  (as  farr  as  in  them  lay) 
to  continue  yo""  poore  peticonesse  in  the  Custodie  of  the  said 
Ordinary  &  that  benefitt  w'='>  might  accrew  from  the  same  to 
take  towards  makeinge  of  theire  Hues  the  more  comfortable  ; 
wherevpon  &  by  reason  whereof  yo"^  peticonesse  said  husband 
procured  the  most  convenient  howse  in  Lynn  for  the  purpose 
albeit  itt  was  very  ruinous  &  much  cost  bestowed  respedlinge 
his  p^^sent  condicon  in  repaireinge  &  fittinge  vp  of  the  same 
accordingly  :  And  also  whereas  some  of  his  Creditor's  haue  of 
their  clemencie  and  gentle  goodnes  furnished  him  w*''  Comodi- 
ties  apt  for  the  mainteyning  of  an  ordinary  to  the  intent  some 
benefitt  might  redound  towards  the  maintenance  &  liuelyhood 
of  his  familie  &  reedifieinge  of  his  ruined  estate  in  case  the  same 
may  bee  obteined :  and  that  thereby  wee  may  bee  enabled  to 


io6 


Biographical  Sketches.    Armitage. 


pay  our  debts,  in  regard  of  which  the  name  of  god  now  suffers. 
May  itt  therefore  please  this  Honored  Assembly  to 
take   the  p'^misses   into    tender   consideracon  &  w''^ 
bowells  of  comiseracon  to  way  the  lowe  estate  of  yo' 
Voted  &     said  Peticonesse  &  her  familie  and  to  reconfirme  the 
Octob.*26th  Custodie  of  the  said   Ordinarie  to   yo""  peticonesse 
[1643]       duringe  the  winter  season  &  further  as  shall  seeme 
good  in  yo''  sight  vpon  the  well  demeano""  of  yo""  Peti- 
conesse in  the  said  place,  &c. 


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The  foregoing  is  what  will  be  referred  to  as  "  The  Armitage 


Biographical  Sketches.     Annitaze. 


107 


Petition."  Some  of  the  autographs  being  rather  obscure,  we 
give  the  names  in  letter-press,  as  follows  —  arranged  very  much 
as  they  stand  on  the  original  petition  —  coupled  with  the  remark 
that  most  of  the  individuals  will  be  found  noticed  in  alphabetical 
order  in  these  pages  of  sketches. 


Sa:  Whiting. 

Tho :  Cobbett. 

Robert  :  Bridges, 

Edw :  Holyoke, 
Edward  Tomlins, 
Thomas  marshall. 

Richard  walker, 
Willm  Cowdry, 
Nathaniel!  Handforth, 

Tim  Tomlins, 
William  Longley, 

^              Georg  keser, 

John  Wood, 

Thomas  Godson, 

'              John  Dolitle, 

frauncis  Ligtfoote, 

Thomas  Laughton, 
Boniface  Burton, 

Henery  Rodes, 
Thomas  Townsend, 

William  king. 

Nicholas  Browne, 

Robert  Driver, 

Robert  persons, 
Richard  Johnson, 
Thomas  parker, 
Phillip  Kirtland, 

Edward  Baker, 
R(jbert  Massey, 
John  Gillowe, 
John  Ramsdalle, 

Zachrie  fitch, 

James  Axey, 

Godphrey  Armitage, 
Henery  Eeames. 

The  names  of  Robert  Persons,  Richard  Johnson,  Thomas 
Parker,  Philip  Kirtland  and  James  Axey  look  very  much  as 
if  written  by  the  same  hand.  If  they  were,  it  could  not  have 
been  because  the  individuals  did  not  know  how  to  write  but  be- 
cause it  was  more  convenient  to  have  some  one  else  attach  their 
names.  On  the  Colony  Records,  under  date  Sept.  7,  1643,  is 
the  entry,  "  Goody  Armitage  is  alovved  to  keepe  the  ordinary, 
but  not  to  draw  wine."  Upon  the  margin  of  the  petition  is  seen 
the  memorandum,  "Voted  &  granted  Octob.  26th,  [1643.]" 
This  is  by  a  different  hand,  and  was  probably  made  at  a  subse- 
quent session.  The  1643  being  in  brackets  denotes  that  it 
may  have  been  a  considerably  later  insertion.  The  "  clemencie 
and  gentle  goodnes  ,"  of  some  of  Mr.  Armitage's  creditors,  cer- 
tainly indicate  that  he  had  friends,  though  under  censure  for 
something  not  stated. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  Mr.  Armitage,  after  his  long  and 
laborious  career,  passed  his  latter  years  in  poverty.  This  is 
apparent  by  his  curious  petition,  presented  in  1669,  for  the  pay- 
ment of  some  trifling  scores  which  certain  colonial  dignitaries 
ran  up  at  his  tavern  about  twenty-five  years  before ;  a  specification 


io8  Biographical  Sketches.     Attwill.     Axey. 

of  some  of  which  charges  may  be  found  in  our  Annals,  under  date 
1643.  On  his  decease  his  estate  was  appraised  at  £,6  2s.  6d. 
Other  incidents  in  the  career  of  this  typical  individual  may  be 
found  in  the  Annals  of  early  dates, 

Attwill,  Theodore.  Mr.  Attwill  died  of  Bright's  disease, 
December  9,  1880,  in  the  55th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a  native 
of  Lynn,  and  for  many  years  enjoyed  a  reputation  for  intelligence 
and  probity  attained  by  few.  The  surname  was  not  unknown 
here  before  the  beginning  of  century  1700,  though  there  were 
none  of  the  kin  among  the  first  settlers.  And  there  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  at  any  time  a  large  number  of  the  lineage 
among  us.  The  business  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  apper- 
tained to  the  shoe-manufacture,  and  in  it  he  was  successful  ;  but 
beyond  that  he  had  a  decided  literary  taste,  and  was  a  constant 
reader  of  the  better  class  of  books,  and  quite  proficient  in  mathe- 
matics and  the  languages.  With  Latin,  Greek,  French,  Spanish, 
and  German,  he  was  more  or  less  familiar.  His  literary  acquire- 
ments were  appreciated,  and  for  fifteen  years  he  was  called  to 
serve  as  a  member  of  the  School  Committee,  and  for  a  like  term 
as  a  trustee  of  the  Free  Public  Library.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Common  Council  four  years,  during  two  of  which  he  was 
president ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  filled  various  responsible 
offices  of  a  more  private  nature.  In  person  Mr.  Attwill  was 
of  medium  size  and  apparently  possessed  of  a  firm  and  healthy 
constitution.  His  countenance  was  usually  of  rather  a  serious 
cast ;  but  he  had  a  vein  of  genuine  humor  which  would  not 
unfrequently  assert  itself  to  the  enjoyment  of  appreciative  friends. 
He  built  the  fine  residence  on  Essex  street,  at  the  jundlion 
of  High  Rock  avenue,  and  there  he  died,  leaving  a  widow,  one 
son,  and  three  daughters. 

Axey,  James  —  was  one  of  the  first  settlers,  having  appeared 
here  as  early  as  1630.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  importance 
and  possessed  a  fair  estate  for  those  times.  He  was  a  Repre- 
sentative in  1654  ;  and  in  1657,  was  one  of  the  committee 
appointed  to  lay  out  Nahant  in  planting  lots.  Axey's  Point 
the  site  of  the  present  gas-works,  perpetuates  his  name. 

We  are  inclined  to  think  that  he  had  some  share  in  domestic 


Biographical  Sketches.     Axey.  109 

trials,  to  which  so  many  are  exposed  through  the  infirmities 
of  our  common  nature  ;  yet  there  is  no  conclusive  evidence  that 
he  did  not,  on  the  whole,  live  as  peacefully  with  Frances  his 
spouse  as  is  the  ordinary  experience,  though  she  does  appear  to 
have  had  a  wakeful  eye  for  the  main  chance.  Her  vigilance, 
alert  to  the  last,  is  shown  by  certain  depositions  still  on  file 
in  Salem,  concerning  his  attempts  to  make  a  will.  When  draw- 
ing near  his  end,  he  proposed  executing  such  an  instrument ; 
but  her  opposition  prevailed,  and  he  refrained.  On  his  decease 
she  was  appointed  administratrix  of  his  estate,  but  did  not  long 
survive  to  enjoy  any  gain  she  possibly  may  have  made  by  her 
successful  interference.  He  died  June  7,  1669,  and  she  a  few 
months  after. 

An  extra6l  or  two  from  the  quaint  depositions  filed  in  the  case 
will  be  sufficient  to  show  that  human  nature  has  changed  but 
little  since  that  time.  Andrew  Mansfield,  aged  about  forty-nine 
years,  "  Testifyeth  y'  In  y^  tyme  of  the  sickness  of  James  Axey  : 
I  being  severall  tymes  with  him,  one  off  which  tymes  was,  to  my 
best  memory,  about  three  weeks  before  hee  dyed,  hee  signifyde 
his  desyrd  to  make  his  will,  his  wife  being  present ;  &  hee  began 
to  Declare  his  intent  toward  John  Pearson,  declareing  hee  would 
leve  him  to  have  the  greater  Lott,  and  then  his  wife  spoke  as 
houlding  out  to  my  understanding  y*  she  would  have  him  to  make 
noe  will,  saying  can  not  you  confide  in  me  y*  I  will  perform  what 
yeo  mind  is,  but  you  will  give  awaye  all.  He  answered  I  intend 
to  give  nothing  from  you  whilst  you  Live  except  some  suche 
legasye  or  Legasyees  ;  shee  then  replied  hee  might  if  he  would 
make  his  will,  but  [he]  sayd  I  will  not,  you  cannot  consent  to  it ; 
and  I  replyed  it  was  an  Apoynted  of  God  to  sett  his  house  in 
order,  and  instanced  that  of  Hezekiah  :  sett  thy  house  in  order 
for  thou  must  dye,  and  did  declare  to  him  y*  I  hoped  God  would 
guide  him  in  soe  doeing ;  but  she  replying,  hee  alsoe  replyed, 
saying  I  can  dispose  of  none  of  my  estate,  &c.  ;  and  being 
troubled,  wee  then  got  him  to  bed.  ..."  Joseph  Rednap 
and  Samuel  Johnson  testified  that  "  they  Being  att  y^  house  of 
James  Axey  ten  days  before  he  dyed,  the  wife  of  James  Axey 
asked  him,  before  us,  what  he  ment  by  those  words  which  he 
spake  the  last  night  ;  which  was  you  said  I  bequeath  my  spirritt 
to  God  and  estate  to  John  Pearson,  and  took  him  by  the  hand 


I  lo  Biographical  Sketches.      Bachelor.     Baker. 

and  said,  Love,  is  not  your  mind  as  it  was  formerly  agreed 
between  you  and  I  :  and  he  said  yes  ;  and  he  sed  by  my  estate 
to  John  Pearson  I  meane  he  should  looke  after  it  for  you."  Sam- 
uel Tarbox  testified  that  "  beinge  in  the  house  of  James  Axey 
about  two  nights  before  hee  dyed  and  Nathaniell  Kirkland  and 
John  Pearson  was  there  the  same  time,  and  Nathaniel  Kirkland 
s^  to  John  Pearson,  I  marvell  yoo  do  not  Ask  your  maister  how 
hee  hath  disposed  of  his  goods.  And  James  Axey  hearing  their 
discourse  said,  brother  Kirkland  I  will  satisfy  you  concerning 
it ;  I  had  thoughts  to  have  made  a  will  and  to  have  disposed 
of  some  things  att  my  death,  but  my  wife  was  not  willinge,  for 
I  would  not  cross  her,  but  leave  it  to  her."  Mr.  Kirkland  added 
that  he  did  not  remember  the  words  "  leave  it  to  her."  In  an- 
other deposition  of  Andrew  Mansfield,  which  was  given  some- 
time after  the  death  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Axey,  he  says : 
"  being  with  James  Axey  in  the  time  of  his  last  sickness,  which 
was,  to  the  best  of  my  memory,  aboute  three  weekes  before  his 
death,  his  wife  and  Joseph  Fiske  being  present,  his  wife  oposing 
the  s^  James  Axey,  her  husband,  in  order  to  the  making  of  his 
will,  according  as  in  my  first  testimony  which  is  in  Court,  the 
said  James  Axey  before  his  wife  and  Joseph  Fiske  solemlye  Left 
it  with  mee  that  if  any  should  aske  why  hee  did  not  make  his 
will  I  should  tell  y""  hee  would  have  done  it  but  his  wife  would 
not  Let  him,  and  I  was  then  to  have  written  it."  See  Annals, 
1630  and  other  early  dates.  Mr.  Axey's  signature  may  be  seen 
appended  to  the  Armitage  Petition. 

Bachelor,  Rev.  Stephen  —  first  minister  of  the  first  church 
in  Lynn  ;  an  active  and  prominent  divine,  but  possessing  such 
eccentricities  of  chara6ler  that  his  early  removal  became  expedi- 
ent. He  was  born  in  1561,  and  lived  to  reach  his  hundredth 
year.     See  Annals,  1632,  1636,  and  other  earl}'  dates. 

Baker,  Christine  —  a  maid  and  matron  of  various  fortunes  ; 
an  Indian  captive ;  a  ward  of  the  French  Catholics,  in  Canada ; 
a  returned  wanderer.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Baker,  Daniel  C.  —  third  Mayor  of  Lynn.  See  biographical 
sketch,  page  566  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition.     Also  notice 


Biographical  Sketches.     Baker.    Barker.    Bassett.     1 1 1 

with  portrait,  page  151  Centennial  Memorial.  He  died  in  New 
Orleans,  La.,  July  19,  1863,  aged  46.  A  fac-simile  of  his  signa- 
ture follows. 


Baker,  Edward  —  ancestor  of  the  numerous  family  of  the 
name  hereabout.  His  autograph  appears  on  the  Armitage  Peti- 
tion.    See  Annals,  1630. 

Barker,  Dr.  Charles  O.  —  a  reputable  physician.  He  died 
January  8,  1843,  aged  41.  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Rem- 
brandt Peale,  the  celebrated  painter.  He  left  no  children.  See 
Annals  1843.  His  residence  was  on  Western  avenue,  near  Mall 
street.  An  amusing  anecdote  about  his  introduction  to  Dr. 
Hazeltine  may  be  found  in  our  notice  of  the  latter. 

Bassett,  William.  Mr.  Bassett  died  very  suddenly  on  the 
night  of  June  21,  1871,  aged  68  years.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn, 
and  well-known  from  having  been  much  in  public  life.  And  for 
his  many  virtues  and  kindly  sympathies  he  was  as  widely  re- 
spected as  known.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  cashier 
of  the  First  National  Bank,  and  had  filled  that  office  for  eighteen 
years.  He  was  quite  aftive  and  efficient  in  the  labor  of  putting 
the  new  municipal  machinery  into  successful  operation  when  the 
City  Charter  was  adopted,  and  for  the  first  three  years  was  City 
Clerk.  He  was  a  zealous  and  intelligent  laborer  in  the  cause 
of  education  and  the  moral  and  social  reforms  of  the  day,  and  in 
early  manhood  sought  by  a61:ual  experience  and  observation  to 
determine  the  value  of  various  "community"  systems  then  ex- 
isting ;  for  he  was  well  convinced  that  the  condition  of  our  social 
life  might  be  greatly  improved  by  some  radical  changes  in  the 
domestic  economy.  Yet  he  did  not  appear  to  have  had  his 
hopes  verified,  and  returned  to  the  home  of  his  youth  to  remain 
till  the  close  of  his  life.  Although  bred  in  the  orthodox  Quaker 
faith  he  became  a  Unitarian,  and  for  a  long  period  was  a  faithful 
and  useful  member  of  the  society  here.     Indeed  he  was  faithful 


112        Biographical  Sketches.     Batchelder.     Bennett. 

and  useful  in  every  position  he  filled.  He  was  patient  in  inves- 
tigations, accurate  in  conclusions,  and  affable  in  manners  ;  a 
good  penman  and  careful  recording  officer.  On  the  day  of  his 
burial  some  of  the  principal  business  houses  were  closed  in  token 
of  respe6l ;  and  though  the  weather  was  very  inclement,  a  large 
concourse  attended.  Some  prominent  persons  from  abroad  were 
present ;  among  them  Wendell  Phillips  the  orator  and  William 
Lloyd  Garrison  the  anti-slavery  reformer.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  in  the  original  laying  out  of 
which  he  took  an  a6live  part.  In  our  Annals,  under  date  1640 
may  be  found  a  genealogical  sketch  of  the  family  A  fac-simile 
of  his  signature  is  here  given. 


Batchelder,  Jacob  —  first  principal  of  Lynn  High  School, 
and  for  some  years  librarian  of  the  Free  Public  Library.  He 
died  December  17,  1876,  aged  70  years.     See  Annals,  1876. 

Bennett,  Samuel.  The  name  of  this  early  settler  is  perpetu- 
ated by  the  extensive  swamp  near  our  northern  border.  He  was 
a  considerable  real  estate  owner,  many  of  his  acres  lying  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  ancient  iron  works,  near  which  he  resided.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  members  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Artillery,  in  good  circumstances,  public  spirited,  and  withal 
possessed  of  considerable  independence  of  charafter  —  a  little 
wilful,  perhaps.  In  1644  he  was  presented  by  the  grand  jury  as 
a  "  common  sleeper  in  time  of  exercise,"  and  fined  two  shillings 
and  sixpence.  And  for  one  or  two  other  offences  of  equal  enor- 
mity he  suffered  punishment.  He  seems  to  have  been  once  fined 
for  a  breach  of  the  law  forbidding  the  sale  of  commodities  at  too 
great  a  profit ;  and  on  petitioning  for  a  remittal  of  the  fine 
received  this  rebuff  from  the  Court.  It  is  found  on  the  Colony 
Records  under  date  May  15,  1657.  "In  answer  to  the  petition 
of  Samuell  Bennett,  humbly  craving  the  remittment  or  abatement 
of  a  fine  imposed  on  him  by  the  County  Court,  for  selling  goods 
at  excessive  prizes  the  Court  hauing  pervsed,  and  by  theire 
comittee  examined,  the  papers  in  the  case  presented,  together 


Biographical  Sketches.     Bennett.  113 

w*  the  allegations  &  pleas  of  the  peticoner  &  others,  by  him 
produced,  vnderstanding,  by  what  appeared,  the  peticoner  re- 
ceived of  George  Wallis  about  forty  pounds  or  vpwards  meerely 
for  the  release  of  the  bargaine  made  betwixt  them,  .  .  .  see  it 
not  meete  to  graunt  the  petition  in  whole  or  in  part."  Mr.  Wal- 
lis had  also  been  fined  "  fivety  pounds "  for  "  selling  goods  at 
excessive  prizes,"  and  petitioned  for  a  remittal  ;  and  the  same 
Court  judged  it  "  meete  to  remitt  the  fine  all  to  tenn  pounds;'' 
which  remittal  was  made  in  consideration  of  his  being  neces- 
sitated "  to  be  at  the  losse  of  about  forty  pounds  or  more  to 
attayne  a  release  of  the  bargain  betwixt  him  &  Samuell  Bennett." 
It  seems  to  have  been  what  is  vulgarly  called  a  "  game  of  sharps," 
between  Mr.  Bennett  and  Mr.  Wallis  ;  but  the  Court,  while 
endeavoring  to  render  an  equitable  judgment,  were  not  disposed 
to  see  invaded  the  wholesome  law  forbidding  the  selling  of  goods 
at  exhorbitant  prices. 

There  is  a  deposition  of  the  noted  Samuel  Maverick  of  Nod- 
dle's Island,  as  East  Boston  was  called  till  within  a  comparatively 
late  period,  touching  a  certain  agreement  of  Mr.  Bennett  relative 
to  the  marriage  of  his  son,  which  has  been  quoted  for  one  or  two 
purposes.  It  is  as  follows :  "  Samuel  Maueric,  aged  61  yeares 
or  thereabouts,  deposeth  that  sometime  last  yeare,  having  some 
speech  w'^  Samuell  Bennet,  sen""  of  Lynn,  as  to  a  match  intended 
betweene  his  son  Sam'  Bennett,  Jun""  &  a  dau.  of  Capt.  W'"  Har- 
grave  of  Horsey  doune.  Mariner,  The  s'^  Bennett,  sen""  did  prom- 
ise that  if  his  sonne  should  marry  w'*^  s^^  Hargraues  dau.  he  would 
make  over  to  him  the  house  he  now  Hues  in  with  barns,  stables, 
lands,  &c.  belonging  to  s"^  farme  &  £,%o  of  stock  ;  w"^  this  proui- 
soe  that  s^  Bennet,  Jun""  should  yearly  pay  his  father  during  his 
life  ;£20  if  he  needed  it  or  demanded  it ;  and  to  the  best  of  my 
remembrance  he  wrote  so  much  to  Capt.  Hargraue.  He  also 
tyed  his  sonne  not  to  alienate  the  premises  w^'^out  his  consent 
dureing  his  life.  Thus  much  he  testifieth,  and  further  saith  not. 
Boston,  Dec""  7*  1665.  Taken  upon  oath  the  8"'  Dec.  1665. 
Samuell  Maverike.     Before  Thomas  Clarke,  Commiss." 

Various  facts  of  interest  concerning  Mr.  Bennett  may  be 
found  recorded  in  Annals,  running  on  from  date  1630.  Few 
of  the  settlers  within  our  borders  were  better  adapted  to  keep 
things  in  lively  trim  than  Mr.  Bennett.  o 


114  Biographical  Sketches.      Blanchard. 

Blanchard,  Amos.  Master  Blanchard,  as  he  was  always 
called,  was  for  some  ten  years  teacher  of  the  western  district 
school,  and  the  house  in  which  he  taught  was  a  small  square 
one  story  wooden  building,  with  hipped  roof  and  unoccupied 
belfry,  standing  near  the  latitudinal  centre  of  the  west  end  of  the 
Common,  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  eastern  end  of  Healey's 
Arcade.  The  pay  of  common  school  teachers,  in  those  days,  was 
meagre,  not  often,  in  country  places,  exceeding  a  dollar  a  day  ; 
and  Master  Blanchard,  having  a  wife  and  twelve  children  to 
provide  for,  at  times  found  it  extremely  hard  rubbing.  But  in 
addition  to  his  day  school  he  received  from  minor  auxiliary 
employments  a  little  help.  He  taught  a  private  evening  school 
at  different  seasons  ;  from  his  skill  in  penmanship,  for  he  wrote 
a  beautiful  hand,  he  derived  something  ;  from  the  exercise  of  his 
musical  talents  he  received  a  pittance  ;  and  his  "  grateful  coun- 
try," in  return  for  his  services  as  a  fifer  in  the  revolutionary 
army  granted  him  a  small  pension.  Nevertheless,  he  lived  and 
died  a  poor  man  —  poor  in  purse  only,  however  ;  for  he  was  rich 
in  the  respect  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  The  pay  for  "  literary 
services,"  to  use  a  favorite  expression  of  his,  was  at  that  time  small, 
as  just  remarked,  and  having  before  us  at  this  moment  a  re- 
ceipted bill  of  his  that  shows  something  of  his  prices,  there 
seems  no  objection  to  inserting  it  just  as  it  stands : 

"  1 82 1.     M--  Benja  Newhall,  To  A.  Blanchard,  D"" 

To  the  Instru6lion  of  your  son,  6  weeks,  i   20 

To  the  Instru6lion  of  your  Daughter,  30 


I   50 
Sep'  Rec"^  payment,  Amos  Blanchard." 

The  barbarous  old  laws  allowing  indiscriminate  imprisonment 
for  debt  were  then  in  force,  and  it  is  not  remarkable  that  a  man 
circumstanced  as  Master  Blanchard  was  should  once  in  a  while 
find  it  necessary  to  procure  a  substitute  to  take  his  place  in  the 
school,  for  thirty  or  sixty  days.  But  he  bore  his  misfortunes 
with  complacency  and  never  yielded  to  the  misanthropic  mood. 
In  music  he  always  found  a  solace,  and  upon  its  wings  his  spirits 
could  rise  in  the  darkest  hour.  He  was  one  of  the  most  accom- 
plished musicians  ever  resident  hereabout,  and  composed  several 
pieces  which  took  rank  among  the  approved  compositions  of  the 


Biographical  Sketches.      Blanchard.  115 

day.  He  led  the  singing  at  the  Old  Tunnel,  from  181 1  to  1824, 
and  played  the  bass-viol  with  an  un6lion  that  was  inspiring. 
With  the  doftrines  taught  in  that  venerable  san6luary  he  was  in 
full  accord  and  did  all  in  his  power  to  advance  both  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  interests  of  the  society.  In  some  of  her 
darkest  hours  his  hopeful  voice  was  raised. 

For  a  few  years  before  the  date  of  the  above  receipt,  1821, 
the  writer  attended  his  day  school,  and  with  a  recolle6lion  of  the 
routine  of  study  comes  a  feeling  remembrance  of  the  discipline. 
The  rod  was  not  spared,  in  those  days,  though  Master  Blanchard 
was  not  given  to  its  severe  use.  But  yet,  when  in  the  morning 
he  announced  that  any  boy  who  misbehaved  during  the  day 
would  be  "  made  an  example  of,"  we  all  felt  that  there  would  be 
squalls  before  night,  and  our  forebodings  seldom  failed  of  being 
realised.  Reading,  spelling,  defining,  writing,  ciphering  and  a 
little  grammar  were  taught  ;  and  there  were  other  important 
things  impressed  upon  us  which  seem  to  be  too  much  neglected 
in  the  schools  of  the  present  day  ;  namely,  good  manners,  and 
corre6l  deportment,  as  well  out  of  school  as  in,  as  well  in  the 
street  as  in  the  parlor ;  and  especially  was  respe6l  for  superi- 
ors in  age  inculcated. 

Master  Blanchard  at  one  time  lived  in  the  old  Merry  house, 
which  stood  on  the  north  side  of  Boston  street,  nearly  opposite 
the  foot  of  Mall.  And  in  fancy  the  writer  can  at  this  moment 
see  him,  of  a  balmy  summer  morning,  wending  his  way  towards 
the  scene  of  his  scholastic  labors,  his  whole  air  expressive  of  the 
combined  dignity  of  classic  and  musical  erudition,  his  long,  light 
calico  gown  swaying  in  the  breeze  as  proudly  as  if  it  were 
a  Roman  toga  investing  some  grave  senator. 

As  before  remarked.  Master  Blanchard  was  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  ten  of  whom  came  with  him  when  he  removed 
hither  from  Exeter,  N.  H.,  in  181 1.  The  other  two  were  born 
here.  His  daughter  Levina  became  the  wife  of  John  Lovejoy, 
for  many  years  a  successful  morocco  manufa6lurer  and  resident 
of  Market  street,  whose  descendants  remain. 

Such  men  as  Master  Blanchard  leave  an  enduring  impress 
upon  a  community.  The  influence  of  the  good  principles  he 
enforced  —  for  besides  the  routine  of  study,  he  usually  devoted  an 
hour  or  two  every  week  to  le6luring  us  on  morals,  manners,  or 


ii6      Biographical  Sketches.     Bowler.     Boyce.     Breed. 

some  didaftic  subjeft,  closing  with  a  fervent  prayer  —  has  not 
ceased  to  this  day,  either  in  this  community  or  in  many  other 
fields  to  which  his  restless  flocks  became  scattered.  Yet,  his 
was  not  what  would  be  called  a  pronounced  chara6ler,  but 
one  of  those  we  are  apt  to  speak  of  as  "non-committal."  In 
discussion  he  did  not  like  to  offend,  and  hence  did  not,  on  many 
occasions,  press  his  views  with  a  vigor  commensurate  with  their 
value.  In  manners  he  was  genial,  in  habits  social,  in  morals 
strift.  He  was  intelligent,  and  ready  and  interesting  in  conver- 
sation but  not  much  given  to  humorous  diversions.  He  died  on 
the  25th  of  May,  1842,  at  the  age  of  78  years. 

Bowler,  Thomas.  Mr.  Bowler  was  born  in  Lynn,  on  the  3d 
of  January,  1786,  and  died  July  22,  1867.  He  led  an  unostenta- 
tious life,  and  no  one  stood  higher  as  a  consistent  Christian  than 
he.  Adhering  to  the  earlier  Methodist  views  and  usages,  he 
often  saw  cause  to  lament  over  the  worldly  tendencies  of  many 
of  the  faith,  especially  the  young,  particularly  in  matters  of  dress, 
amusements  and  display.  In  1831,  when  the  anti-masonic  party, 
of  which  he  early  became  an  adherent,  gained  the  ascendancy  in 
Lynn,  he  was  ele6i;ed  Town  Clerk,  and  held  the  office  sixteen 
years.  His  records  were  kept  in  a  careful  and  neat  manner,  and 
those  of  us  who  remember  him  in  his  official  capacity  can  bear 
testimony  to  his  accuracy,  uniform  courtesy,  patience,  and  dispo- 
sition to  oblige.  His  manners  were  gentle,  his  voice  low,  and  his 
aspe6l  subdued  ;  but  his  spirit  was  far  from  cringing.  He  was 
married  in  1807,  and  became  the  father  of  eleven  children,  none 
of  whom,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  lived  beyond  middle  life. 

Boyce,  William  S.  —  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  — 
died  August  27,  1873,  aged  63.     See  Annals,  1873. 

Breed,  Allen  —  ancestor  of  our  fifth  and  ninth  Mayors. 
"Breed's  End"  took  its  name  from  him.  The  surname  was  in 
old  times  spelled  Bre^d.  See  Annals,  1630  and  other  early 
dates.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  is  appended. 


-J^^cg, 


Biographical    Sketches.     Breed.  wj 

Breed,  Andrews  —  was  the  fifth  Mayor  of  Lynn.  He  died 
in  Lancaster,  Mass.,  April  21,  1 881,  at  the  age  of  86  years  ;  and 
as  a  notice  of  him,  with  a  portrait,  may  be  found  in  our  Centen- 
nial Memorial,  little  need  be  said  here.  But  of  one  or  two  of  his 
ancestors,  not  elsewhere  under  notice,  a  word  may  properly  be 
said. 

His  father,  who  bore  the  same  christian  name  was  keeper 
of  Lynn  Hotel,  at  the  west  end  of  the  Common,  for  a  number 
of  years  onward  from  1813  ;  and  under  his  supervision  the  house 
attained  an  enviable  reputation,  especially  for  the  excellence 
of  its  table  and  the  promptness  with  which  the  largest  demands 
of  guests  could  be  met.  He  was  a  very  stirring  man,  and  recog- 
nised by  every  one  in  the  streets,  as  he  sallied  forth  on  his 
brawny  roadster,  in  his  yellow  top  boots  and  coat  of  sporting 
cut.  In  addition  to  his  large  business  at  the  Hotel  he  did  a 
good  deal  of  farming,  and  many  of  us  can  well  remember  the  jolly 
husking  parties  which  in  autumn  assembled  at  his  bidding  to 
divest  the  yellow  ears  of  their  rustling  robes,  and  at  evening 
receive  their  reward  at  the  banquet  of  baked  beans  and  Indian 
pudding,  with  relays  of  apples  and  cider.  He  was  not  a  man 
who  could  pass  noiselessly  through  the  world,  or  who  could  yield 
much  to  what  he  deemed  the  unreasonable  demands  of  those 
about  him  ;  in  short,  he  was  of  what  is  called  an  arbitrary  dispo- 
sition, rather  boisterous  in  language,  and  stri6l  in  his  require- 
ments of  those  in  service  under  him.  No  lazy  man's  excuses 
weighed  with  him.  Among  his  enterprises  was  the  laying  out 
of  Centre  street.  He  was  a  descendant  of  Allen  Breed,  the  early 
settler  who  was  father  of  the  Breed  family  of  Lynn. 

Then  there  was  the  long  celebrated  "  Madam  Breed,"  grand- 
mother of  Mayor  Andrews.  She  kept  a  school  for  very  young 
pupils,  on  Water  Hill,  at  the  moderate  charge  for  each  of  nine- 
pence  a  week  —  a  ninepence  being  the  Spanish  real,  of  the  value 
of  twelve  and  a  half  cents.  There  was  at  that  time  very  little 
silver  of  American  coinage  in  circulation.  Spanish  pistareens, 
reals  and  half-reals  constituted  almost  the  whole  change  we  had. 
Madam  Breed  was  of  such  queenly  dignity  that  it  was  said  she 
would  not  allow  even  her  own  children  to  be  seated  in  her  pres- 
ence without  permission.  Where  she  would  have  ranked  had 
the  "  Woman's  Rights  "  question  been  agitated  in  her  day  it  is 


ii8  Biographical    Sketches.     Breed. 

not  easy  to  determine.  But  she  was  a  good  woman,  though  her 
education  was  hardly  sufficient  to  answer  the  demands  for  a 
modern  high  school  position  ;  yet  her  pra6lical  view  of  the  duties 
of  life  and  conception  of  the  dignity  of  the  female  charadler  emi 
nently  fitted  her  for  the  guidance  of  susceptible  girlhood.  Ovei 
her  little  subjefts  in  the  school  room  she  had  good  control,  and 
inspired  in  them  a  wholesome  fear  of  the  tingling  little  rod  that 
lay  menacingly  on  her  table.  But  it  seems  as  if  her  usefulness 
would  have  been  greater  in  a  higher  sphere  and  among  more 
mature  minds.  She  loved  children  :  and  the  writer  has  specia 
cause  for  grateful  remembrance  of  her  ;  for  upon  a  certain  Sun 
day  morning,  while  posted  on  his  accustomed  seat  in  the  Old 
Tunnel  Meeting-house,  he  was  startled  by  a  sudden  punch  in 
the  back,  and  on  turning  about  beheld,  thrust  through  the  little 
creaking  balustrade  that  adorned  the  pew,  the  hand  of  the  venera- 
ble dame,  displaying  to  his  astonished  gaze  sundry  yellow  and 
red  sugar-plums.  His  wonder  at  the  condescension  was  so  stu- 
pefying that  he  did  not  venture  to  seize  the  prize  till  a  gracious 
nod  assured  that  it  was  inten  ed  for  him.  And  it  is  well  remem- 
bered that  more  satisfa6lion  was  felt  at  the  honor  of  the  bestowal 
and  on  being  referred  to  by  his  juvenile  companions  as  "  the 
fellow"  to  whom  Madam  gave  the  sugar-plums,  than  in  the 
legitimate  use  of  the  gift. 

As  elsewhere  remarked,  the  Breed  family  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  respe6lable  among  us,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  ancient. 
Mayor  Andrews  Breed  was  a  man  of  medium  size,  ereft,  well- 
proportioned,  and  adtive  in  his  movements  even  after  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  eighty  years.  A  fac-simile  of  his  autograph 
is  here  given. 


(LyprL.(^ju*-<y^ 


^^■^ ^/-^ — ^ 


Breed,  Dr.  Bowman  B.  Doctor  Breed  died  on  the  i6th  of 
December,  1 873,  of  Bright's  disease  of  the  kidneys.  He  was  born 
in  Lynn,  February  29,  1832,  and  was  a  son  of  Hon.  Isaiah  Breed. 
After  pursuing  his  elementary  studies  in  Phillips  Academy, 
Andover,  he  entered  Amherst  college,  in  1853,  and  continued  to 
maintain  a  creditable  rank  in  scholarship  till  he  graduated.     He 


Biographical  Sketches.      Breed.  119 

then  chose  the  profession  of  medicine,  and  after  a  course  of  study 
here,  visited  Europe  for  study  and  travel.  On  his  return  he 
commenced  practice  in  Lynn,  continuing  till  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  broke  out,  at  which  time  he  joined  the  Eighth  Massa- 
chusetts Regiment,  as  surgeon.  Subsequently  he  was  put  in 
charge  of  government  hospitals  and  sanitary  establishments  in 
several  places,  and  throughout  his  term  of  service  acquitted  him- 
self with  fidelity  and  success.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was 
appointed  Surgeon  of  the  Military  Asylum  at  Augusta,  Me.,  and 
there  continued  till  the  destru6tion  of  the  place  by  fire.  After 
that  he  resumed  pra6lice  in  Lynn  ;  but  though  skillful  and  de- 
voted his  health  was  such  that  he  could  not  apply  himself  with 
the  constancy  necessary  for  the  building  up  of  an  extensive 
business.  He  finally  relinquished  his  profession,  and  for  a  year 
and  a  half  was  co-editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Reporter  newspaper. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  City  Council  for  several  years,  and  a 
Representative  in  the  General  Court.  As  a  member  of  the 
School  Committee,  likewise,  he  was  attentive  and  efficient.  In 
short,  he  took  commendable  interest  and  discreet  a6lion  in  all 
that  seemed  most  conducive  to  the  highest  good  of  his  native 
place.  Being  a  member  of  several  organizations,  benevolent, 
professional,  and  military,  his  funeral  was  attended  by  large 
numbers  who  had  become  attached  by  brotherly  and  social  ties. 
By  the  City  Council  his  decease  was  noticed  in  a  manner  that 
showed  his  loss  to  be  regarded  as  a  public  calamity. 

Dr.  Breed  married  Hannah  Pope,  October  20,  1859,  ^'^^  by 
her  had  six  children. 

Breed,  Ebenezer.  A  biographical  sketch  of  this  individual, 
popularly  known  as  "  Uncle  Eben,"  whose  marvelous  good  fortune 
at  one  period  and  distressingly  adverse  circumstances  at  another, 
have  furnished  many  an  impressive  lesson,  is  given  in  the  1865 
edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn.  He  died  in  the  almshouse,  in  1 839. 
The  following  is  a  fac-simile  of  his  signature,  at  the  age  of  31. 


I20  Biographical  Sketches.      Breed.      Bridges. 

Breed,  Hiram  N.  —  the  ninth  Mayor  of  Lynn  —  is  another 
creditable  representative  of  the  extensive  family  u^ho  trace  their 
pedigree  to  the  early  settler,  Allen  Breed.  A  notice  of  him,  with 
a  portrait,  may  be  found  in  the  Centennial  Memorial.  He  was 
born  on  the  2d  of  September,  1809,  and  is  still,  1881,  in  active 
life.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  follows. 


^■-r-^.^   A.  /^. 


-r^- 


Breed,  Isaiah  —  was  for  many  years  an  active  business  man, 
in  the  shoe-manufa6luring  line,  and  likewise  took  much  interest 
in  public  affairs.  He  was  one  of  the  principal  founders  of  the 
Central  Congregational  Society,  and  one  of  its  chief  supporters 
for  a  number  of  years.  A  brief  biographical  sketch  of  him  may 
be  found  in  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn,  page  541. 
He  was  born  in  1786  and  died  in  1859. 

Bridges,  Robert.  Mr.  Bridges  —  or  Captain  Bridges,  as  he 
was  usually  called  —  because  of  his  having  been,  as  one  may  say, 
the  father  of  the  first  iron  works  in  America,  if  for  no  other  reason, 
should  be  held  in  remembrance.  It  was  in  1642  that  he  took 
specimens  of  the  bog  ore  found  in  Lynn,  to  London,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  forming  a  company  which  soon  after  commenced 
operations  here,  ere6ling  a  bloomary  and  forge,  the  site  of  which 
is  still  shown  by  the  "  cinder  banks,"  or  heaps  of  scoria  on  the 
margin  of  Saugus  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Pranker's  mill.  And 
although  to  its  proje6lors  the  enterprise  did  not  prove  pecuniarily 
successful,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  result  was  of  great  and 
lasting  benefit  to  the  country  at  large,  for  it  drew  hither  some 
of  the  most  skillful  workers  in  iron  that  England  had  produced, 
several  of  whom,  even  before  the  attempt  had  been  abandoned, 
removed  to  other  settlements  and  established  works  which  under 
better  management  were  highly  successful,  and  added  immensely 
to  the  general  prosperity  of  the  country.  And  it  is  a  noteworthy 
fa6l  that  descendants  of  some  of  the  operatives  at  these  Lynn 
works,  are  at  this  day  found  among  the  leaders  of  the  great  iron 
trade  of  America.  The  iron  turned  out  from  the  Lynn  works 
was  considered  of  very  good  quality,  and  it  had  a  ready  sale ; 


Biographical  Sketches.     Bridges.  121 

but  the  company  was  almost  ceaselessly  engaged  in  law-suits  ; 
which  was  enough  to  ruin  any  incipient  enterprise. 

The  residence  of  Captain  Bridges  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
works  ;  and  Edward  Johnson,  in  his  "  Wonder  Working  Provi- 
dence," says  "  He  was  endued  with  able  parts,  and  forward  to 
improve  them  to  the  glory  of  God  and  his  people."  And  there 
is  abundant  evidence,  from  other  sources,  that  his  principles 
were  of  rigid  puritanical  stamp.  He  was  an  adling  magistrate, 
and  in  that  capacity  did  not  always  allow  the  kindlier  sympathies 
to  prevail  when  those  brought  before  him  dared  to  enunciate 
sentiments  adverse  to  the  prevailing  faith  or  to  question  the 
authority  of  those  appointed  to  guard  against  innovations.  It 
was  he  who,  in  165 1,  granted  the  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  Clarke, 
Crandall  and  Holmes,  the  Baptist  missionaries  from  Rhode 
Island,  concerning  whose  advent  here,  an  account  may  be  found 
in  our  Annals,  under  the  date  just  named.  And  in  the  Essex 
County  files  may  be  found  the  following  record  of  his  official 
a6lion  in  the  case  of  Thomas  Wheeler,  who  appears  to  have  been 
a  man  of  chara6ler  and  some  estate,  and  of  whom  a  brief  notice 
may  be  found  in  its  alphabetical  order  in  these  pages  :  "  4th  mo. 
1654.  Thomas  Wheeler,  bound  over  to  the  Court  by  the  wor- 
shipful Captain  Bridges  for  sinful  and  offensive  speeches  made 
by  him  in  comparing  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cobbet  to  Corah.  It  being 
proved  by  three  witnesses,  sentence  of  Court  is,  that  he  shall 
make  public  acknowledgment  upon  the  Lord's  day,  sometime 
within  a  month  after  the  date  hereof,  according  to  this  form 
following,  and  pay  the  three  witnesses  £,12  2s.  6d.  and  fees  of 
Court :  [I,  Thomas  Wheeler,  having  spoken  at  a  town  meeting 
in  February  last,  evil,  sinful,  and  offensive  speeches  against  the 
Reverend  Teacher,  Mr.  Cobbet,  in  comparing  him  unto  Corah, 
for  which  I  am  very  sorry,  do  acknowledge  this  my  evil,  to  the 
glory  and  praise  of  God  and  to  my  own  shame  ;  and  hope,  for 
time  to  come,  shall  be  more  careful]  The  constable  of  Lynn  is 
to  see  it  performed."  Mr.  Cobbet,  it  need  not  be  added,  was  the 
colleague  of  Rev.  Mr.  Whiting  in  the  ministry  of  the  First 
Church  ;  and  the  offensive  words  were  probably  spoken  by  Mr. 
Wheeler,  in  a  heated  town  meeting  debate,  the  ministers  at  that 
time  being  paid  by  the  town,  and  the  pastorate  being  regarded, 
in  several  particulars,  as  a  town  office. 


122  Biographical  Sketches.     Bridges. 

It  was  in  1649  ^^^^  ^^^  energetic  protest  against  the  wearing 
of  long  hair,  "  after  the  manner  of  ruffians  and  barbarous  Indians," 
was  promulgated,  signed  by  the  Governor  and  Assistants,  of 
whom  Captain  Bridges  was  one.  But  the  antipathy  to  the  wear- 
ing of  long  hair,  existing  in  those  days,  had  a  deeper  significance 
than  at  first  appears  —  a  political  tinge,  indeed.  In  Cromwellian 
times,  say  for  twenty  years  onward  from  1640,  the  English  roy- 
alists, cavaliers  and  high  churchmen,  delighted  in  "  bravery  of 
dress,"  and  in  long  curling  locks,  while  the  puritans  and  par- 
liamentarians were  distinguished  by  their  round  hats  and  by 
their  hair  "  cut  round  according  to  a  cup."  This  perhaps  suffi 
ciently  hints  at  a  reason  for  the  singular  protest.  But  the 
antipathy  began  to  manifest  itself  even  before  the  time  named.  By 
the  Salem  records,  "  21*^  of  the  &^  month,  1637,"  it  appears  that 
John  Gatshell  of  Marblehead  was  fined  ten  shillings,  to  be  paid 
in  two  months,  for  building  on  the  town's  land  without  leave ; 
but  the  proviso  was  added,  that  "  in  case  he  shall  cut  off  his  long 
hair  of  his  head  into  a  civil  frame,  in  the  mean  time,"  five  shillings 
of  the  fine  should  be  abated.  It  is  said,  however,  that  he  refused 
to  be  shorn  of  his  darling  locks. 

That  Captain  Bridges  was  a  man  of  high  chara6ter  and  very 
considerable  attainment  cannot  be  doubted.  As  a  military  officer 
he  was  in  good  repute ;  as  a  diplomatist  he  was  entrusted  with 
important  negotiations  ;  as  a  legislator  he  was  for  many  years 
a6live  in  the  public  service,  for  ten  years  filling  the  responsible 
office  of  Assistant.  In  1644  and  '45  he  was  a  Representative, 
and  in  1646,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

His  curious  deposition  in  the  case  of  Taylor  against  King,  so 
well  exhibits  the  simplicity  and  some  of  the  peculiar  customs 
of  the  times,  that  it  seems  well  to  introduce  it  here,  with  the  prefa- 
tory remark  that  the  a6lion  was  one  brought  to  recover  damages 
for  the  goring  to  death  of  the  plaintiff's  mare  by  the  defendant's 
bull ;  and  Captain  Bridges  was  a  witness  as  to  the  vicious  char- 
after  of  the  bull.  He  says  :  "  .  .  .  myself  being  on  horse- 
back with  my  wyfe  behinde  me,  y^  s'^  Bull  stood  in  the  high  way 
as  I  was  riding  a  Longe.  When  I  came  up  to  the  Bull,  not 
knowing  whos  beast  it  was,  neither  thinking  of  any  opposition,  I 
struck  at  the  bull,  w'h  my  stick,  to  put  him  out  of  the  way  ; 
ymediately  y^  bull  made  att  my  mare,  and  placed  his  home  vpon 


Biographical  Sketches.     Bridges.  123 

her  shoulder,  and  had  well  nigh  overthrone  both  the  mare  and 
her  riders  ;  and  although  I  endeavored  to  shunne  y'=  bull,  yet  he 
still  so  prest  vpon  mee  y'  I  cannot  but  conceave  had  not  the 
neareman  bin  att  hand  to  beat  him  off  that  some  hurt  had  bin 
done,  either  to  ©''selves  or  my  mare,  or  both  ;  but  gods  good 
hand  better  provided." 

Captain  Bridges  was  a  member  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Artillery,  having  joined  in  1641.  And  in  the  codicil  to  the  will 
of  Robert  Keayne,  the  eminent  Boston  merchant  and  first  com- 
mander of  that  now  historic  corps,  dated  Dec.  28,  1653,  this 
item  appears  :  "  I  have  forgott  one  Loveing  Couple  more  that 
came  not  to  my  mind  till  I  was  shutting  vp  ;  that  is,  Cap* 
Bridges  and  wife,  to  whom  I  give  forty  shillings." 

The  foregoing  is  sufficient  for  a  glimpse  at  various  points  in 
the  charafter  and  career  of  one  of  the  devoted  men  who  so  faith- 
fully labored  in  laying  the  foundations  of  the  social  fabric  which 
has  become  our  inheritance  —  men  honest,  religious,  persevering, 
hopeful,  and  brave.  Yet  it  must  be  admitted  that  Capt.  Bridges 
was  not  of  a  specially  genial  disposition  ;  nor  could  he  have  been 
very  popular  in  some  of  his  relations.  He  had  hard  points 
of  charafter  ;  was  arbitrary,  exacting,  unyielding,  in  the  smaller 
concerns  of  daily  intercourse,  and  perhaps  not  sufficiently  regard- 
ful of  the  minor  rights  of  those  about  him  ;  for  we  all  love  to 
have  our  rights  respedled  even  when  they  are  of  little  value. 
In  those  days  of  difficulty  and  doubt  minds  were  trained  to  meet 
the  trials  of  life  with  a  fortitude  that  amounted  to  heroism.  In- 
deed, it  was  a  favorite  idea,  that  the  affliftions  men  were  called 
to  endure  were  disciplinary  ;  that  souls  were  purified  by  such 
means.  This,  however,  was  probably  quite  as  much  theoretical 
as  otherwise,  for  the  best  of  us  would  prefer  to  secure  by  obser- 
vation rather  than  experience,  the  good  that  might  be  derived 
from  pain  and  suffering. 

In  our  Annals  of  early  dates  may  be  found  many  fafts  concern- 
ing Captain  Bridges  not  here  alluded  to.  The  Petition  of  Dame 
Armitage,  presented  in  1643,  for  license  to  keep  the  tavern, 
established  by  her  husband  in  the  westerly  part  of  Lynn,  as  before 
remarked,  was,  no  doubt,  written  by  him.  He  was  a  remarkably 
good  penman  ;  and  his  name  is  conspicuous  among  the  signers, 
as  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  page  106. 


124  Biographical  Sketches.   Brimblecom.  Broivn.  Bubier. 

Brimblecom,  Col.  Samuel  —  an  early  and  enterprising  shoe- 
manufa<5turer,  public  spirited,  intelligent,  and  of  genial  manners. 
He  was  an  admirer  of  the  works  of  some  of  the  old  English 
writers  and  of  the  poets  of  later  date,  especially  delighting  in  the 
writings  of  Pope,  from  which  he  was  accustomed  often  to  quote. 
He  lived  on  Western  avenue  near  Franklin  street,  and  died  April 
24,  1850,  aged  81.  See  Annals,  1850.  Brimblecom  street,  which 
after  his  decease  was  cut  through  a  field  belonging  to  the  home- 
stead estate,  took  its  name  from  him. 

Brown,  Goold  —  a  famous  grammarian  and  author  —  lived  on 
South  Common  street,  and  died  March  31,  1857,  aged  65.  See 
Annals,  1857. 

Bubier,  Samuel  M.  —  was  the  fifteenth  Mayor  of  Lynn. 
He  was  twice  ele6led  to  the  office,  his  inaugurations  taking 
place  on  the  first  of  January,  1877  and  the  seventh  of  January, 
1878.  He  is  a  native  of  Lynn,  and  was  born  in  the  Col.  Mans- 
field house  on  Strawberry  avenue,  on  the  23d  of  June,  18 16. 
His  whole  business  life  has  been  connefted  with  the  shoe  trade ; 
and  he  was  a  manufa6lurer  for  forty  years,  a  considerable  part 
of  the  time  on  quite  a  large  scale.  Few  persons  of  his  generation 
have  done  more  to  advance  our  staple  industry  than  he,  as  he 
has  ever  held  himself  in  readiness  to  introduce  new  and  improved 
machinery,  and  to  adopt  any  plan  calculated  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  trade.  Some  of  the  finest  business  buildings  in 
the  city  were  ere6led  by  him,  and  he  has  long  been  regarded 
as  an  enterprising,  faithful,  and  meritorious  citizen.  On  the 
30th  of  October,  1844,  he  married  Miss  Mary  W.  Todd,  of  Tops- 
field,  Mass.,  and  became  the  father  of  three  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Mr.  Bubier,  during  the  last  few  years,  has  gradually 
withdrawn  from  aftive  business.  A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  is 
here  given. 


0(yn<?n. 


iL^CJi^  ,^yC^ '    ^:^c^^L-<A«>-^ 


BuFFUM,  James  N.  Mr.  Buffum  was  our  twelfth  Mayor,  and 
twice  elected  to  the  office.  His  first  inauguration  took  place 
on  the  4th  of  January,  1869,  and  his  second  on  the  ist  of  January 


Samuel  M.  Blibier,  (Fifteenth  Mayor  of  Lynn.) 


Biographical  Sketches.     Biiffiim.     Biirrill.  125 

1872.  He  was  born  in  North  Berwick,  Me.,  May  16,  1807,  and 
his  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Dr.  John  Lummus  of  Lynn.  A  bio- 
graphical sketch,  with  a  portrait,  may  be  found  in  the  Centennial 
Memorial,  and  a  fac-simile  of  his  autograph  is  hereto  appended. 


^^C^ui^^cJ  c/y  ,  ^  i-y ///f/'t^l/^^V-^ 


BuFFUM,  Jonathan.  Mr.  Bufifum  was  for  many  years  promi- 
nent in  public  life  and  aftive  in  business.  He  was  intelligent, 
and  in  his  opinions  firm  to  the  verge  of  obstinacy.  He  had  keen 
sympathies  for  the  oppressed,  and  in  the  anti-slavery  cause  was 
a  zealous  worker.  He  lived  on  Union  street,  opposite  the  head 
of  Washington,  and  died  June  22,  1868,  aged  74.     See  Annals, 

i; 


BuRRiLL,  Hon.  Ebenezer  —  a  Crown  Counsellor,  and  other- 
wise conspicuous,  in  provincial  times.  He  lived  in  Swampscott ; 
was  born  in  1679  ^"^  ^^^^  ^"^  1761.  A  biographical  notice,  with 
some  account  of  the  Burrill  family,  may  be  found  in  the  1865 
edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn,  page  492,  et  seq. 

Burrill,  George  —  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  head  of  the 
family  once  called  the  royal  family  of  Lynn.  He  lived  on  the 
western  slope  of  Tower  Hill.  See  Annals,  1630.  A  fac-simile 
of  his  autograph  follows. 


Burrill,  Hon.  John  —  a  Representative  for  some  twenty 
years,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  ten  years.  He  was  highly 
respe6led  by  his  associates,  and  extolled  for  his  ability  as  a 
presiding  ofhcer.  He  lived  at  Tower  Hill;  was  born  in  1658 
and  died  in   172 1.     A  biographical  sketch  appears  in  the  1865 


126  Biographical  Sketches,     Burton.   Carncs.  Chadwell. 

edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn.     He  was  a  good  penman,  as  the 
fac-simile  of  his  signature  here  given  shows. 


om  Si^rj^'^ 


Burton,  Boniface.  This  somewhat  noted  individual  died  on 
the  13th  of  June,  1669,  at  the  age  of  113  or  115  years  as  has 
been  repeatedly  asserted.  But  it  is  claimed  by  others  that  he 
died  at  about  the  age  of  90.  His  autograph  appears  among. 
those  attached  to  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106.  There  was 
a  propensity  in  early  times  to  overstate  the  ages  of  elderly  people  ; 
yet  we  find  no  conclusive  evidence  that  Mr.  Burton's  years  were 
not  as  many  as  the  largest  number  claimed.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Carnes,  Rev.  John  —  minister,  magistrate,  and  politician. 
'Squire  Carnes,  as  he  was  called,  lived  on  Boston  street ;  and 
Carnes  street,  which  was  opened  through  land  belonging  to  his 
estate,  perpetuates  his  name.  His  dwelling  was  of  wood,  two 
stories  in  height,  and  stood  where  the  last  named  street  enters 
Boston  street.  A  couple  of  enormous  buttonwoods,  looking  as 
if  reared  for  gate  posts,  stood  in  front.  It  was  once  a  somewhat 
pretentious  residence ;  but  in  its  last  years  was  shabby,  and 
presented  anything  but  an  inviting  appearance.  He  died  on  the 
26th  of  06lober  1802,  aged  j?,.     See  Annals,  1802. 

Chadwell,  Thomas.  The  Chadwell  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  Lynn,  and  has  always  had  prominent  and  worthy  members. 
Thomas,  the  above-named,  was  here  as  early  as  1630,  and  settled 
as  a  farmer  in  the  seftion  known  as  Breed's  End.  There  was 
also  a  Richard  Chadwell  here,  in  1636 ;  but  the  next  year  he 
went  off  with  the  Sandwich  settlers.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Lieutenant  Harris  Chadwell  of  the  Revolution  was  a  descend- 
ant of  Thomas.  So  also  was  the  late  William  Chadwell,  for  many 
years  deputy  sheriff  of  the  county  ;  an  officer  in  many  respedls 
well  qualified  for  the  performance  of  his  often  disagreeable  duties. 


Biographical   Sketches.     Chadwell.  127 

He  was  convivial  in  his  habits,  a6live  and  mirthful.  After  his 
retirement  from  the  office  of  sheriff  he  was  for  a  time  ticket-master 
at  the  Central  Depot ;  and  it  was  while  he  held  this  position 
that  the  depot  safe  was  blown  open  and  robbed,  during  a  thunder 
storm,  on  the  night  of  May  6,  1848.  He  was  rather  a  strong 
political  partisan  ;  took  an  adlive  interest  in  town  affairs  ;  and 
with  many  became  unpopular  by  the  ardor  with  which  he  op- 
posed the  anti-masonic  movement.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
craft,  and  quite  as  zealous  as  discreet.  But  he  was  far  from 
being  deficient  in  good  points  of  chara6ler  ;  was  companionable 
and  unselfish  ;  and  as  an  officer,  willing  to  exercise  a  reasonable 
degree  of  forbearance. 

A  vein  of  eccentricity  seems  to  have  cropped  out  here  and 
there  in  the  line,  in  former  years,  though  we  never  heard  of  its 
assuming  an  offensive  chara6ler.  We  remember  one  of  the 
family  who  some  sixty-five  years  ago  was  a  hard  working  man, 
laboring  somewhat  at  rough  farming  and  in  winter,  when  the 
swamps  were  frozen,  cutting  and  teaming  wood.  He  was  long 
marked  for  his  amusing  vagaries  of  speech  ;  especially  for  the 
curious  discourses  to  his  cattle  as  they  jogged  along  their 
weary  way.  He  would  make  the  most  extravagant  promises  to 
them  as  to  the  quality  and  amount  of  fodder  they  should  receive 
in  return  for  putting  forth  a  little  extra  exertion.  "  Come,  now, 
my  friend,  you  off-ox,  put  in  a  little  more  of  the  tug  and  let  us 
get  home  before  sun-down,  for  it  will  be  a  dark  night.  You  shall 
have  a  good  supper  of  English  hay  ;  we  '11  put  off  the  old  cow 
with  salt  hay  rations  ;  come,  another  strong  pull  and  we  '11  be  over 
these  hubbies  ;  and  you,  old  horse,  you  know  where  I  keep  the 
corn  and  oats,  and  if  you  '11  get  us  home  by  supper  time,  you 
shall  have  your  fill,  if  it  takes  ten  bushels  and  a  half  It  is 
meeting  night,  you  know,  and  I  want  to  be  in  my  place.  Come, 
come,  now  let  us  try  that  quick  step.  We  '11  haul  up  at  the 
Major's  corner,  a  spell,  and  you  can  rest  while  I  go  in  and  get 
a  little  something  warming  ;  your  treat  will  come  when  we  get 
home."  With  such  discourse,  uttered  in  a  voice  so  loud  that 
the  passer-by  might  conclude  that  he  thought  his  animals  deaf, 
was  the  tedium  of  the  way  beguiled  by  the  kindly  teamster,  he 
really  appearing,  by  his  earnestness,  to  fancy  that  his  cattle  fully 
understood  his  proposals  and  promises  ;   and  what  is  quite  as 


128  Biographical  Sketches.      Chase. 

remarkable  they  seemed  to  have  some  comprehension  of  his 
meaning  and  be  willing  to  exert  themselves  to  merit  his  favor. 
It  was  Bayard  Taylor,  if  we  rightly  remember,  who  claimed  that 
there  are  minds  which  can  establish  intelligent  communication 
with  lower  animals.  Perhaps  there  are,  and  that  this  Mr.  Chad- 
well's  was  one  of  them. 

Chase,  Hezekiah.  Mr.  Chase  was  for  many  years  a  well- 
known  and  highly  respefted  resident ;  was  first  president  of  the 
Nahant  Bank,  and  long  identified  with  the  business  enterprises 
of  the  day.  His  residence  was  on  Western  avenue,  near  the 
Summer  street  crossing ;  and  the  grist,  spice,  and  coffee  mills, 
in  that  vicinity,  so  long  known  as  Chase's  mills,  were  owned  by 
him,  and  from  him  took  their  name.  His  death,  which  occurred 
on  the  26th  of  March,  1865,  was  occasioned  by  injuries  received 
on  being  thrown  down  by  a  sudden  jerk  of  the  cars  as  they 
started  from  the  West  Lynn  depot.  His  age  was  72,  and  he  was 
a  native  of  Plaistow,  N.  H. 

Chase,  John.  Mr.  Chase,  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  was  one 
of  the  few  remaining  old-time  shoemakers,  and  had  little  pra6lical 
knowledge  of  the  recent  improvements  in  the  mode  of  manufac- 
ture, as  well  as  little  taste  for  them.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  in 
accordance  with  the  custom  of  the  time,  he  finished  his  schooling 
and  was  put  upon  the  shoemaker's  seat.  And  upon  that  seat  he 
worked  for  seventy  years,  using  the  same  lap-stone  and  several 
of  the  same  tools,  for  that  long  period.  How  many  feet  his 
labors  must  have  helped  to  clothe  during  those  many  years,  we 
need  not  pause  to  calculate.  He  was  an  intelligent,  worthy  man, 
adlive  in  politics,  and  among  the  early  advocates  of  the  abolition 
of  slavery.  For  thirty  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  First 
Methodist  church.  The  old  seat  on  which  he  worked  and  some 
of  his  tools  have  been  preserved  as  relics  that  will  be  appreciated 
by  curious  inquirers  into  the  earlier  history  of  the  great  manu- 
facture of  New  England.  He  died  on  the  2d  of  06lober,  1876, 
aged  ^-^  years. 

Chase,  Rev.  Stephen  —  minister  of  the  Lynnfield  parish  some 
twenty-four  years.     See  Annals,  1755. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Checver.    Childs.    Clapp.     129 

Cheever,  Rev.  Edward  —  first  minister  of  Saugus  parish. 
See  Annals,  1747. 

Childs,  Amariah  —  manufa6lurer  of  a  famous  kind  of  choco- 
late. His  mill  was  on  Saugus  river,  at  the  Boston  street  crossing, 
and  his  residence  on  Boston  street,  nearly  opposite  Bridge.  He 
died  January  21,  1846,  aged  80.     See  Annals,  1846. 

Clapp,  Henry  —  known  during  the  latter  years  of  his  life  as 
the  "  King  of  the  Bohemians."  He  made  his  appearance  in 
Lynn,  in  or  about  1847,  and  while  here  kept  up  a  pretty  lively 
agitation  on  some  of  the  reformatory  questions  of  the  day.  He 
was  a  man  of  undoubted  ability  and  good  education,  terse  and 
bold  as  a  writer,  and  eloquent  as  a  speaker ;  but  his  utterances 
were  often  too  reckless  and  extravagant  to  have  the  desired  effe6l. 
He  was  editor  of  the  Pioneer,  a  weekly  newspaper,  of  which 
Christopher  Robinson,  a  well-known  shoe-manufacflurer  was  pro- 
prietor, and  of  whom  Mr.  Clapp  was  a  sort  of  protege.  In  his 
editorials  were  many  striking  and  valuable  ideas,  but  far  too 
often  there  was  a  lurking  venom  or  pungency  of  expression  that 
overshot  the  mark  and  destroyed  the  good  effe6l, 

Mr.  Clapp  died  in  New  York,  early  in  1875,  and  the  newspa- 
pers here  and  abroad  had  much  to  say  about  his  erratic  chara6ler 
and  career.  It  was  he  who  said  of  Horace  Greeley,  that  "  he 
was  a  self-made  man,  and  worshiped  his  maker."  His  literary 
efforts  were  chiefly  confined  to  the  newspapers,  though  the  mag- 
azines were  occasionally  enriched  by  his  articles.  In  the  fifteenth 
volume  of  Harper's  Magazine  may  be  found  a  paper  of  his  enti- 
tled "  How  I  came  to  be  Married,"  and  in  the  sixteenth  volume 
another,  entitled  "  Love  Experience  of  an  Impressible  Man." 
The  latter  volume  also  contains  a  poem  of  his  entitled  "  My 
Illusions  Spare,"  which  is  far  above  the  average  of  magazine 
poetry,  and  may  yet  be  garnered  up  as  one  of  America's  literary 
jewels. 

The  following,  which  appeared  in  a  Boston  publication  soon 
after  the  decease  of  Mr.  Clapp,  furnishes  a  comprehensive  glimpse 
of  him  and  the  class  to  which  he  belonged. 

With  the  death  of  Henry  Clapp,  long  known  as  the  "  King  of  the  Bohemians," 
fades  the  memory  of  one  of  the  most  peculiar  cliques  of  roystering  literary  charaflers 

9 


130  Biographical    Sketches.     Clapp. 

ever  known.  Not  long  ago  Ada  Clare,  the  "  Queen  of  Bohemia,"  died  a  vicftim 
of  that  strange  malady,  hydrophobia,  and  the  rest  of  the  colony  that  once  met  at 
Pfaff's  beer  saloon,  on  Broadway,  to  enliven  the  midnight  hour  with  songs  and  jokes 
and  reckless  repartee,  are  either  dead  or  dispersed,  or  turned  respeftable.  The 
most  brilliant  lights  went  out  some  years  ago,  when  George  Arnold  and  Fitz  James 
O'Brien  died,  and  Clapp  retired  from  the  Bohemian  throne.  Others  are  still  living, 
but  the  haunts  that  once  knew  them  know  them  no  more.  There  is  Walt  Whitman, 
a  confirmed  invalid  ;  "  Doestick"  still  lives,  but  the  uniflion  of  his  humor  has  passed 
with  the  increasing  obesity  of  his  body ;  Ned  House  is  in  Japan,  conne6led  with  the 
educational  department  of  the  government ;  and  Willie  Winter  has  subsided  into  a 
taciturn  and  sedate,  though  bright  and  vigorous  critic.  There  were  women  in  Bohe- 
mia besides  Ada  Clare.  There  was  Jenny  Danforth,  who  is  dead,  or  in  obscurity 
almost  as  complete  as  death  ;  Dora  Shaw,  who  claimed  the  authorship  of  "  Beautiful 
Snow,"  but  could  not  maintain  the  doubtful  honor ;  and  Mary  Fox,  still  lively  and 
sharp-witted,  the  "  M.  H.  B."  of  the  St.  Louis  Republican.  But  then  Bohemia  is 
completely  dead,  though  there  are  Bohemians  enough  of  a  straggling  sort  in  Gotham 
yet,  God  wot.  But  the  Bohemia  over  which  Clapp  presided,  the  bright,  witty  and 
wicked  circle  of  writers  in  the  basement  beer  saloon,  whose  quips  and  cranks  were 
as  sparkling  and  as  evanescent  as  the  foam  on  their  glasses,  is  a  thing  of  the  past. 
It  required  a  peculiar  genius  to  call  together  and  keep  together  such  a  company, 
and  its  existence  and  its  opportunity  are  not  likely  to  occur  again  in  the  present 
generation. 

The  life  of  Henry  Clapp  was  a  strange  one.  He  was  born  in  Nantucket,  and  in 
his  early  life  was  a  sailor.  Afterwards  he  appeared  as  a  temperance  lefturer  and  an 
ardent  advocate  of  the  abolition  of  slavery,  travelling  extensively  in  the  cause 
of  reform.  He  was  for  some  time  in  Paris,  and  after  his  return  he  made  translations 
of  some  of  the  prominent  socialistic  works  of  Fourier.  His  first  journalistic  expe- 
rience was  in  editing  an  anti-slavery  paper  in  Lynn,  but  he  was  best  known  as  the 
founder  of  the  "Saturday  Press,"  and  "Vanity  Fair,"  in  New  York.  Both  of  these 
were  too  bright  and  too  impracticable  to  last.  Many  of  the  brightest  of  the  Bohemi- 
ans were  contributors  to  Vanity  Fair,  but  all  their  wit  could  not  keep  it  alive.  Clapp 
afterwards  became  well  known  as  "  Figaro "  of  the  Lander,  a  paper  at  one  time 
owned  and  edited  by  Mayor  Hall,  and  latterly  he  obtained  a  precarious  livelihood 
by  writing  paragraphs  for  the  Daily  Graphic  and  sending  occasional  contributions  to 
dramatic  and  musical  journals  from  a  New  Jersey  farm-house.  His  talent  was 
essentially  that  of  the  French  F'euilletonistes,  bright,  keen  and  witty,  but  unsub- 
stantial and  ephemeral.  In  character  he  was  of  the  essence  of  Bohemia,  reckless 
and  witty,  caring  and  thinking  little  of  the  serious  concerns  of  life,  but  living  as  those 
who  say,  "  Let  us  eat,  drink  and  be  merry,  for  to-morrow  we  die."  That  to-morrow 
of  death  has  come  for  tienry  Clapp,  and  no  one  can  have  the  heart  to  throw  anything 
but  the  mantle  of  charity  over  his  bier. 

There  would,  perhaps,  be  little  reason  for  introducing  Mr, 
Clapp  in  this  connexion,  were  it  not  that  he  played  so  conspic- 
uous and  sensational  a  part  while  here.  He  fraternized  with  the 
"  Comeouters,"  though  guiltless  of  the  extremes  that  chara61:er- 
ized  the  condu6l  of  some  of  the  earlier  ones,  as  noticed  in  our 
Annals,  under  date  1841.  And  it  may  be  pardonable  to  add  that 
the  writer  was  well  acquainted  with  him,  and  in  common  with 


Biographical  Sketches.    Cobbet.    Coffin.    Collins.       131 

others  esteemed  him  highly  for  his  generous  and  genial  qualities. 
It  was  likewise  our  fortune,  while  a  resident  of  New  York,  to 
very  well  know  one  or  two  of  the  other  "  Bohemians  "  named 
above.  The  fa6l  is,  that  "  clique  of  roystering  literary  char- 
afters  "  led  a  sort  of  dual  lives  —  now  in  the  society  of  the  better 
class  of  literary  workers,  supplying,  with  amazing  facility,  elab- 
orate papers  and  high-toned  critiques,  and  anon  at  some  Pewter 
Mug  rendezvous,  bandying  quibs  and  relating  wild  adventures. 
Their  condition  and  appearance  were  attributable  to  utter  impro- 
vidence. They  could  earn  money,  and  some  of  them  did  get  high 
prices  for  magazine  articles  and  editorial  assistance ;  but  what 
did  they  do  with  their  earnings  .'' 

The  writer  one  day,  during  a  later  visit  to  the  city,  on 
passing  down  Fulton  street  met  one  of  the  "  Bohemians  "  named 
in  the  foregoing  extra6t,  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  months,  and  the 
greeting  was  cordial.  The  meeting  happened  to  be  near  a  res- 
taurant and  it  was  about  noon.  "  Come,  come,"  said  he  '*  now 
let  us  step  right  in  here,  and  I  '11  order  something  for  the  encour- 
agement of  the  inner  man ;  and  over  the  supply  we  '11  have  a 
talk."  "  But  I  can't,"  was  the  repl}^  for  I  am  now  on  the  way  to 
a  steamer,  and  cannot  delay,"  "  Well,  then,  good-by ;  and  per- 
haps," he  added  with  his  old  air  of  mock  gravity,  "  it  is  about  as 
well  that  you  declined  my  generous  invitation,  for  six  cents  is  the 
grand  sum-total  of  my  funds."  But  he  forsook  the  Bohemian 
life,  is  yet  living,  and  his  fame  as  a  writer  is  second  to  that 
of  but  few  either  here  or  in  Europe. 

Cobbet,  Rev.  Thomas  —  was  settled  over  the  Lynn  church, 
in  1637,  as  colleague  with  Rev.  Mr,  Whiting.  He  was  a  marked 
chara6ler  among  the  early  New  England  divines.  His  autograph 
is  attached  to  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106.  Cobbet  school, 
Franklin  street,  takes  its  name  from  him.     See  Annals,  date  1656. 

Coffin,  Dr.  Edward  L.  —  physician,  scientist,  and  writer. 
He  lived  on  Market  street,  and  died  March  31,  1845,  ^g^d  50. 
A  biographical  notice  appears  in  1865  edition  of  History  of  Lynn. 

Collins,  Micajah  —  minister  of  the  Friends'  society,  and 
teacher  of  the  Friends'  school.     He  was  born  in  Lynn,  in  1764 


132      Biographical  Sketches.      Cooke.    Curtin.   Davis. 

and  died  in  1827.     In  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn, 
appeared  a  biographical  notice. 

Cook,  Rev.  Joseph  —  for  a  short  time  minister  of  the  First 
Church  —  a  pungent  preacher  and  popular  lecturer  in  America 
and  Europe.     See  Annals,  1871. 

Cooke,  Rev.  Parsons  —  minister  of  the  First  Church,  twenty- 
one  years  ;  a  rigid  Calvinist,  and  warm  controversial  preacher 
and  writer  —  born  in  1800,  died  in  1864.     See  Annals,  1864. 

CooLiDGE,  Oliver  B. — well-known  in  various  public  positions. 
He  died  June  6,  1874,  aged  ^6.     See  Annals,  1874. 

CowDRY,  William  —  whose  autograph  may  be  seen  among 
those  appended  to  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106,  came  here 
in  1630,  but  did  not  remain  many  years.  He  became  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Reading,  and  was  very  conspicuous  there  ;  was  a 
deacon  of  the  church,  a  representative,  sele6tman  and  town  clerk 
from  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  till  his  death,  in  1687,  at 
the  age  of  85.     He  was  born  in  1602,  and  was  a  farmer. 

Curtin,  Enoch  —  a  poet  and  prose  writer.  He  lived  in  the 
eastern  section  of  the  town  ;  was  born  in  1794  and  died  in  1842. 
For  biographical  sketch,  with  poetic  specimens,  see  1865  edition 
of  History  of  Lynn. 

Dagyr,  John  Adam  —  famed  throughout  the  province  as  a 
fashionable  shoemaker.  He  died  in  the  almshouse,  in  1808. 
See  Annals,  1750. 

Davis,  Edward  S.  —  the  eighth  Mayor  of  Lynn.  For  Bio- 
graphical notice,  with  portrait,  see  Centennial  Memorial. 


Biographical  Sketches.    Doak.  Doolittle.  Downing.    133 

Dexter,  Thomas  —  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  noted 
of  the  early  settlers.  See  Annals,  1630,  et  seq.  The  following 
represents  his  signature.  ^  ^      c\  f? 

Doak,  Benjamin  F.  Mr.  Doak  died  at  his  residence,  corner 
of  Atlantic  and  Ocean  streets,  on  the  8th  of  November,  1876, 
aged  50  years.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn  though  of  a  Marble- 
head  family,  and  after  receiving  a  fair  common  school  education, 
in  early  manhood  began  business  in  a  small  way  as  a  shoe-man- 
ufafturer.  By  industry  and  shrewd  management  he  soon  attained 
a  position  among  our  first  class  business  men.  He  was  a  con- 
spicuous and  highly  respe6led  member  of  the  First  Universalist 
Society,  and  a  much  esteemed  citizen  and  friend.  At  various 
times  he  filled  positions  of  public  trust,  and  on  the  day  of  his 
burial  a  number  of  large  business  houses  were  closed  in  token 
of  respe6l  for  his  memory.  By  will,  he  bequeathed  "  to  the  City 
of  Lynn,  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  to  be  invested  by  the 
City  as  a  separate  fund,  the  income  thereof  to  be  expended  by 
said  City  for  the  benefit  of  its  poor,  in  such  manner  as  the  City 
Council  may  direct."  This  bequest  is  what  is  now  called  "  The 
Doak  Fund."  Mr.  Doak  was  for  some  years  known  as  Benjamin 
F.  Doak,  2d,  there  being  two  others  of  the  name,  in  the  vicinity, 
his  seniors. 

Doolittle,  John  —  a  settler  of  some  note ;  was  one  of  the 
appraisers  of  the  estate  of  Edward  Holyoke.  He  removed  to 
Boston,  and  was  a  constable  in  1653.  The  Armitage  Petition, 
page  106,  bears  his  signature. 

Downing,  Elijah  —  an  early  and  zealous  Methodist ;  an  a6ting 
magistrate  and  one  interested  in  town  affairs.  He  was  born  in 
1777;  was  a  cabinet-maker;  lived  on  North  Common  street, 
corner  of  Park  ;  died  in  1838.  See  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition, 
for  a  biographical  notice. 

Downing,  Rev.  Joshua  Wells.  Mr.  Downing  was  one  of 
the  most  promising  young  men  Lynn  has  produced,  and  by  his 
early  death  she  no  doubt  lost  one  who  would  have  done  much  to 


134     Biographical  Sketches.     Draper.    Driver.    Fay. 

extend  her  fame.  He  was  born  here  on  the  fifth  of  March,  1813, 
and  was  a  son  of  Elijah  Downing,  named  next  above.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen  he  entered  Brown  University,  and  graduated  in 
1834.  His  original  design  was  to  adopt  the  legal  profession  as 
the  business  of  his  life  ;  but  being  brought  to  a  deep  sense  of 
the  greater  dignity  and  importance  of  a  profession  that  more 
nearly  touched  the  higher  concerns  of  men,  he  soon  diredted  his 
attention  to  the  ministry,  and  in  June,  1835,  was  received  into 
the  New  England  Methodist  Conference,  and  stationed  at  Ran- 
dolph, in  Norfolk  county.  The  next  year  he  was  appointed  to 
the  Salem  charge,  and  in  the  short  space  of  two  years  after,  that 
is,  in  1838,  had  attained  such  a  reputation  as  to  be  placed  in 
charge  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  opulent  churches  of  the 
denomination  in  New  England  —  the  Bromfield  Street  Church, 
in  Boston.  And  in  that  charge,  secure  in  the  afife6lions  of  his 
people,  and  with  an  ever  increasing  reputation  in  the  community 
at  large,  he  remained  till  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  the  15th  of  July,  1839.  About  one  year  before  his  death  he 
married  May  Ann,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  L.  Mudge,  who  survived 
him  ;  but  he  left  no  children.  His  brother,  the  Rev.  Elijah 
Hedding  Downing,  now  a  minister  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  and  who  is  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin  College,  prepared  a 
very  sympathetic  and  interesting  memorial  volume,  which  was 
published  in  New  York,  in  1842.  The  sermons  and  addresses 
embodied  in  it  evince  a  remarkably  pure,  well-trained,  and  ear- 
nest mind,  and  are  composed  in  a  terse,  vigorous,  and  attra6live 
style. 

Draper,  Alonzo  G.  —  a  commander  in  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion ;  shot  from  his  horse,  apparently  by  accident,  in  Texas, 
September,  1865.     See  Annals,  1865. 

Driver,  Robert.  Respe6lable  descendants  have  sprung  from 
this  early  settler,  though  not  much  is  known  of  him.  His  auto- 
graph is  on  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106.  He  died  in  1680, 
aged  87.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Fay,  Richard  S.  —  owner  of  the  beautiful  Mineral  Spring 
estate  —  (Lynnmere).     He  died  June  6,  1865.     See  Annals,  1865. 


Biographical  Sketches.    Forman.  Fuller.  Gardner.    135 

Fitch,  Zachary,  whose  autograph  is  last  on  the  Armitage 
Petition,  had  "  30  and  ten  acres "  allotted  to  him  in  the  land 
distribution  of  1638.  He  moved  to  Reading,  in  1644,  and  became 
a  deacon  in  the  church  there.  Fitch's  Hill,  so  called,  was  a  part 
of  his  estate.     Few  of  his  descendants  are  now  found  here. 

Flacg,  Dr.  John  —  a  highly  esteemed  physician  and  revolu- 
tionary patriot ;  lived  on  Marion  street ;  born  in  1743,  died  May 
"^h  1793-     See  Annals,  1793. 

Flora  —  a  pious  negro  woman  of  touching  history;  died  in 
1828,  aged  113  years.     See  Annals,  1828. 

Forman,  Eugene  F.  —  editor  of  the  Lynn  Daily  Bee.  His 
death  was  occasioned  by  a  singular  and  distressing  accident, 
September  3,  1881.     See  Annals,  1881. 

Fuller,  Joseph  —  first  Senator  from  Lynn,  and  first  presi- 
dent of  the  first  bank  here  —  was  born  on  Water  Hill,  March 
29,  1772.     See  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  505. 

Fuller,  Maria  Augusta  —  poetess  and  prose  writer  —  was 
born  in  Lynn,  Dec.  9,  1806,  and  died  January  19,  183 1.  A  bio- 
graphical notice,  with  specimens  of  her  writing  may  be  found  in 
the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn.  A  fac-simile  of  her 
signature  follows.  .        .      /'  /ty 


Gardner,  Dr.  James  —  a  physician  of  high  standing,  and 
much  respefted  for  his  good  judgment  and  benevolence.  He 
died  December  26,  1831,  aged  69.  His  residence  was  on  Boston 
street,  near  Bridge.     See  Annals,  1831. 

Gardner,  James  H.  —  was  born  in  Lynn  July  29,  1796,  and 
died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  September  10,  1877.  He  was  a  son 
of  Dr.  James  Gardner,  just  named,  and  a  grandson  of  Dr.  Flagg, 
who  occupied  the  "Billy  Gray"  house.  He  became  a  resident 
of  Richmond  in  early  life,  and  for  many  years  carried  on  a  large 


136  Biographical  Sketches.     Gates.     Gillow. 

and  successful  business  there,  maintaining  a  chara6ler  for  integrity 
and  liberality  attained  by  few.  The  Richmond  Despatch,  in  an 
obituary  notice,  said  of  him,  "There  was  no  man  who  was  more 
worthily  loved  and  respedled,  and  no  man  whose  life  was  more 
exemplary."  He  always  entertained  the  highest  regard  for  his 
native  place,  and  until  the  infirmities  of  age  overtook  him,  made 
an  annual  visit,  encouraging  her  public  enterprises  and  liberally 
bestowing  in  charity,  from  his  large  means,  which,  however, 
became  sadly  reduced  by  the  calamities  of  the  civil  war,  an 
occurrence  which  he  deeply  deplored.  He  was  an  a6live  member 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  communion,  and  even  as  far  back 
as  1 8 19,  when  the  first  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  church 
here  he  looked  hopefully  forward  to  the  time  when  her  benign 
influence  would  pervade  the  community  ;  was  a  strong  and  help- 
ing friend  to  St.  Stephen's  in  her  darkest  hours,  and  happily  lived 
to  see  her  in  comparative  prosperity.  A  memorial  window  has 
been  placed  in  the  church  at  Richmond,  where  he  worshiped, 
and  in  which  he  was  a  vestryman  and  Sunday  school  superin- 
dent  many  years. 

Gates,  Isaac  —  a  shrewd  but  eccentric  lawyer.  His   office 

and  residence  were  on   Market  street,  that  street  then   being 

chiefly  occupied  by  residences.  He  died  Nov.  9,  1852.  See 
Annals,  1852. 

Gillow,  John.  There  were  several  Gillows  here  at  an  early 
period,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  any  of  their  descendants 
remain.  The  John  whose  autograph  is  to  be  seen  on  the  Armi- 
tage  Petition,  page  106,  was  doubtless  the  shrewd  individual  who 
so  successfully  turned  the  tables  on  a  pestilent  fellow  who  sued 
him  for  the  loss  of  a  cow.  The  case  occurred  in  1638,  and  is 
thus  related  by  Winthrop  :  "  A  remarkable  providence  appeared 
in  a  case  which  was  tried  at  the  last  Court  of  Assistants.  Divers 
neighbors  of  Lynn,  by  agreement  kept  their  cattle  by  turns.  It 
fell  out  to  the  turn  of  one  Gillow  to  keep  them,  and  as  he  was 
driving  them  forth  another  of  these  neighbors  went  along  with 
him,  and  kept  him  so  earnestly  in  talk,  that  his  cattle  strayed 
and  gate  in  the  corn.  Then  this  other  neighbor  left  him,  and 
would  not  help  him  recover  his  cattle,  but  went  and  told  another 


Biographical  Sketches.     Gould.     Gray.  137 

how  he  had  kept  Gillow  in  talk,  that  he  might  lose  his  cattle. 
The  cattle  getting  into  the  Indian  corn,  eat  so  much  ere  they 
could  be  gotten  out,  that  two  of  them  fell  sick  of  it,  and  one 
of  them  died  presently  ;  and  these  two  cows  were  that  neighbor's 
who  kept  Gillow  in  talk.  The  man  brings  his  action  against 
Gillow  for  his  cow  (not  knowing  that  he  had  witness  of  his  speech;) 
but  Gillow,  producing  witness,  barred  him  of  his  action,  and  had 
good  costs."     Mr.  Gillow  died  in  1673. 

Gould  Dr.  Abraham  —  A  skillful  physician,  of  large  praftice. 
His  residence  was  on  Boston  street,  a  furlong  east  of  Tower  Hill, 
and  he  died  February  27,  1866,  aged  58.     See  Annals,  1866. 

Grav,  George  —  the  Lynn  Hermit  —  lived  on  Boston  street, 
nearly  opposite  the  entrance  to  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  and  died 
February  28,  1848,  aged  78.     See  Annals,  1848. 

It  was  natural  enough  that  many  wonderful  stories  touching 
the  career  of  such  a  mysterious  personage  as  Mr.  Gray  should 
have  gained  currency.  The  writer  had  occasional  interviews 
with  him,  and  knew  that  he  was  well  aware  of  the  gossiping 
indulgencies  of  his  neighbors.  But  he  was  shrewd  enough  never 
to  admit  or  deny  the  truth  of  anything  that  was  said  about  him. 
Among  the  most  interesting  incidents  in  his  veritable  or  imagin- 
ary history  was  his  alleged  connection  with  the  fate  of  the  French 
Dauphin,  Charles  Louis,  son  of  Louis  xvi  and  Maria  Antoinette. 
It  is  easy  enough  to  see  how  in  a  fertile  imagination  such  an 
alluring  connexion  may  have  been  suggested  by  the  following 
fadls  :  A  number  of  years  ago  the  Rev.  Eleazer  Williams,  a 
respe6table  clergyman  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  who 
had  for  a  considerable  period  been  laboring  as  a  missionary 
among  the  St.  Regis  Indians  visited  Lynn.  An  article  had 
about  that  time  appeared  in  Putnam's  Magazine,  a  periodical 
of  high  standing,  presenting  quite  an  array  of  evidence  tending  to 
show  that  this  Mr.  Williams  was  in  truth  the  scion  of  royalty 
whose  death  history  had  all  along  informed  us  took  place  in  1795, 
through  the  cruel  treatment  of  Simon,  into  whose  relentless 
custody  the  revolutionary  miscreants  had  resigned  him.  There 
were  many,  however,  who  did  not  feel  assured  that  history,  in 
this  instance,  spoke  the  exa6l  truth. 


138  Biographical   Sketches.     Gray. 

Mr.  Williams,  during  his  visit  to  Lynn,  which  was  brief» 
called  on  the  writer,  for  the  chief  purpose  of  obtaining  a  specimen 
of  the  handwriting  of  the  Hermit ;  and  no  doubt  he  had  interviews 
with  others.  That  he  felt  confident  that  he  really  was  the  Dau- 
phin may  not  be  disputed,  the  theory  being  that  he  had  become 
well  nigh  demented  by  the  heartless  treatment  of  Simon  —  his 
memory  and  power  of  observation  almost  extinguished  —  and  in 
that  condition  was  secretly  taken  from  that  austere  custody, 
brought  to  the  wilds  of  America,  and  given  in  charge  of  a  woman 
of  the  St.  Regis  tribe,  who  nurtured  him  lovingly.  He  believed 
that  he  had  always  been  kept  in  sight  by  French  partisans,  and 
mentioned  the  fa6l  that  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  when  in  this 
country  sought  him  out  and  had  an  interview  at  Green  Bay,  but 
was  shy  about  stating  the  obje6l  or  result  of  the  interview.  The 
magazine  article,  however,  intimated  that  the  Prince  had  enjoined 
conditional  secresy,  and  added  that  Louis  Philip  himself,  after 
the  return  of  his  son,  wrote  to  Mr.  Williams.  The  almost  idiotic 
condition  to  which  the  Dauphin  had  been  reduced  was  urged  as 
a  reason  why  Mr.  Williams  had  no  clear  recolleftion  of  things 
that  happened  before  he  attained  the  age  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  — 
only  a  few  dream-like  catches.  It  was  likewise  mentioned  as  a 
significant  fa6l  that  in  the  reign  of  Louis  xviii  the  name  of  the 
Dauphin  was  omitted  in  the  funeral  solemnities  for  the  deceased 
Bourbons.  The  Indian  woman  was  said  never  to  have  claimed 
that  the  child  was  her  own  ;  and  it  is  asserted  that  when  Professor 
Day  placed  before  him  a  portrait  of  Simon,  he  gave  a  shudder  ; 
and  further,  that  he  recognized  a  portrait  of  Madam  Elizabeth  as 
the  likeness  of  one  whom  he  had  seen.  It  was  also  said  that  the 
ambassador  Genet  declared  that  the  Dauphin  was  alive,  in  New 
York  state,  in  1817,  though  it  is  not  known  that  he  located  him 
in  St.  Regis,  which  is  in  that  state,  and  that  a  Frenchman  named 
Boulanger,  who  died  in  New  Orleans,  in  1848,  on  his  death-bed 
declared  that  he  had  a  hand  in  bringing  the  royal  child  to 
America, 

These  circumstances,  in  connexion  with  the  fa6l  that  Mr. 
Williams  was  so  anxious  to  obtain  a  specimen  of  the  handwriting 
of  the  Hermit  furnished  a  basis  for  a  very  interesting  superstruc- 
ture. And  it  was  soon  claimed  —  on  what  authorit}' we  have 
yet  been  unable  to  determine  —  that  Gray  was  in  France,  a  red 


Biographical    Sketches.     Gray.  139 

republican,  during  the  most  sanguinary  days  of  the  revolution, 
and  was  one  of  those  who  brought  hither  the  ill-fated  boy. 

What  the  truth  in  this  mysterious  matter  is,  it  is  now  probable 
will  never  be  known  ;  and  though  it  may  detra6l  something  from 
the  romance  of  the  narrative,  we  feel  bound  to  add  a  few  fa61s 
of  a  different  aspe6l  touching  the  identity  of  Mr.  Williams.  The 
name  Williams  has  been  long  known  in  the  St.  Regis  tribe,  for 
it  will  not  be  forgotten  that  the  minister  of  Deerfield  who  with 
his  family  was  taken  captive  among  others  on  the  terrible  night 
of  the  savage  attack  on  the  settlement,  in  1703,  was  the  Rev. 
John  Williams.  The  captives  were,  with  a  few  exceptions,  finally 
redeemed.  But  his  daughter  Eunice  had  become  so  enamored 
of  Indian  life  that  she  could  not  be  induced  to  return  to  civiliza- 
tion, though  she  occasionally  visited  her  early  friends.  Now  we 
find  it  stated  in  the  Historical  Collections  of  New  York,  that 
this  very  Eleazer  Williams  was  a  grandson  of  Eunice  who  ad- 
hered to  the  surname  of  her  father,  and  that  he  was  educated  by 
her  Christian  friends.  For  many  years  he  was  a  devoted  mission- 
ary in  the  tribe,  and  did  much  to  ameliorate  their  condition.  A 
late  chief  of  the  tribe  bore  the  name  of  Williams,  and  was,  no 
doubt,  another  descendant  of  Eunice.  Assuming  that  these  state- 
ments are  all  authentic,  they  would  preclude  a  belief  that  Mr. 
Williams  was  the  French  Dauphin.  But  there  is  no  conclusive 
evidence  on  the  point,  his  own  recollection  being  entirely  at  fault. 
He  possessed  one  physical  feature  which  was  quite  observable, 
namely,  an  unmistakable  Bourbon  nose. 

We  remarked  that  when  here  Mr.  Williams  was  anxious  to 
obtain  a  specimen  of  the  handwriting  of  the  Hermit ;  but  he 
seemed  to  desire  it  for  use  in  efforts  then  being  made  to  secure 
the  property  left  by  Gray,  who  had  lately  died,  for  a  claimant  in 
whom  he  felt  an  interest,  but  whether  one  conne6led  with  old 
French  affairs  is  not  known.  The  following  is  a  fac-simile  of  the 
Hermit's  signature. 

Gray,  William  —  best  known  by  the  inelegant  sobriquet 
"Billy    Gray"  —  an    eminent   merchant,   and    Lieut.    Governor 


140  Biographical  Sketches.     Halsey. 

of  the  State.  He  was  born  in  the  Dr.  Flagg  house,  Marion 
street,  and  died  in  Boston,  November  3,  1825,  aged  75  years, 
leaving  many  descendants.  Rev.  William  Gray  Swett,  who  was 
installed  minister  of  the  Unitarian  society,  January  i,  1840,  was 
a  grandson  of  his  ;  and  Chief  Justice  Gray,  of  our  Supreme  Court, 
and  later  an  Associate  on  the  Supreme  Bench  of  the  United 
States,  was  likewise  a  grandson.  For  biographical  notice  see 
1865  edition  of  History  of  Lynn. 

Halsey,  Thomas.  Not  much  will  be  found  in  our  Annals, 
relating  to  this  individual,  though  he  was  allowed  a  hundred 
acres  in  the  land  distribution  of  1638,  for  he  became  interested 
in  the  Long  Island  enterprise,  and  was  one  of  the  settlers  of 
Southampton.  In  his  new  location  he  became  prominent  and 
comparatively  wealthy.  Among  his  numerous  descendants,  scat- 
tered all  over  the  country,  several  have  won  their  way  to  distinc- 
tion and  useful  positions.  Among  the  few  from  the  eastern  part 
of  Long  Island  who  joined  the  Continentals  on  the  opening  of  the 
Revolution,  was  Jesse  Halsey,  who,  on  hearing  of  the  battle 
of  Lexington,  started  for  the  scene  of  conflict.  He  left  his  horse 
at  Sag  Harbor,  crossed  in  a  boat  to  New  London,  and  after  a 
tedious  journey  reached  Boston  just  too  late  for  a  part  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  became  a  Captain  in  the  Continental 
forces,  and  as  is  stated  by  Mr.  Howell,  in  his  History  of  South- 
ampton, was  standing  near  General  Lee,  at  the  battle  of  Mon- 
mouth, when  Washington  rode  up,  foaming  with  indignation,  and 
demanded,  "  In  the  name  of  God,  Lee,  what  do  you  mean  .'' "  and 
these,  he  ever  afterwards  declared,  were  the  exa6l  words  of  Wash- 
ington as  distinftly  heard  by  him  on  that  momentous  occasion. 
Daniel  Halsey,  another  descendant,  was  born  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  last  century,  on  the  estate  of  his  fathers,  and  became 
of  some  note  as  a  poet.  He  had  a  good  education,  and  enjoyed 
a  high  reputation  as  a  teacher.  The  following  opening  stanza 
of  a  spirited  ode  written  by  him  for  a  fourth  of  July  celebration 
will  remind  some  of  our  more  elderly  readers  of  the  lyrical  fire 
and  patriotic  sentiment  pervading  the  produ6lions  of  Enoch 
Curtin,  furnished  for  similar  occasions  : 

When  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  found  not  a  place 

Where  the  sole  of  her  foot  in  the  old  world  could  rest. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Handford.  141 

She  direfled  the  daring  Columbus  to  trace 

A  path  to  the  new  world  unknown  in  the  west ; 

In  the  wilds  which  she  chose 

An  empire  arose, 
As  by  magic,  of  freemen  redeemed  from  their  foes, 
Redeemed  from  the  hand  of  oppression  and  wrong, 
To  the  rights  which  by  nature  to  all  men  belong. 

There  is  preserved  another  effusion  of  Mr.  Halsey,  written  at 
the  request  of  a  tavern  keeper  for  an  appropriate  inscription  to 
be  put  upon  his  sign-board.  It  is  rather  suggestive,  and  reads 
as  follows : 

Rum,  whisky,  brandy,  cordial,  porter,  beer, 

Ale,  applejack,  and  gin,  are  dealt  out  here, 

Diluted,  raw,  or  mixt,  in  any  measure, 

To  all  consumers  :  come  and  act  your  pleasure, 

The  above  specifics  will,  in  time,  God  knows, 

Put  to  a  period  all  your  earthly  woes  ; 

Or  would  you  bring  life  to  a  splendid  close. 

Take  double  swigs,  repeating  dose  on  dose  ; 

A  panacea  this  for  every  ail ; 

'T  will  use  you  up  ;  't  was  never  known  to  fail ; 

Use  up  your  property,  ere  scarce  you  know  it, 

Use  up  your  chara6ler,  or  sadly  blow  it, 

Use  up  your  health  and  strength,  and  mind  repose, 

And  leave,  mayhap,  your  carcass  to  the  crows. 

And  the  following  fragment,  smooth  in  expression,  and  charged 
with  wholesome  truth,  may  be  well  worth  the  space  it  occupies : 

Hear  when  the  widow  and  the  orphan  cry, 
And  with  a  liberal  hand  the  poor  supply  ; 
Nor  with  an  envious  eye  the  rich  behold ; 
None  are  the  better  for  their  sums  of  gold. 
A  virtuous  mind  should  be  our  only  test ; 
He  is  the  worthiest  man  who  is  the  best. 
Wealth  can  no  real  happiness  bestow ; 
How  few  in  higher  life  contentment  know ; 
Then  to  the  will  of  Heaven  be  thou  resigned. 
Enjoy  thy  fortune  and  contentment  find. 

Handford,  Nathaniel.  This  is  the  "  honest  old  man  "  who 
saw  the  wonderful  apparitions  in  the  air  on  a  Sunday  evening 
in  March,  1682,  when  looking  for  a  new  moon,  after  a  violent 
storm  of  wind,  hail,  thunder  and  lightning,  as  noticed  under  that 
date,  in  our  Annals.  From  the  account  given  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Shepard  it  is  concluded  that  he  was  of  an  apprehensive  and 
superstitious  cast  of  mind  ;  but  perhaps  not  more  so  than  was 


142  Biographical  Sketches.     Haudford. 

common  in  those  days.  And  that  in  his  latter  years  he  felt  like 
retiring  from  life's  combats,  its  cares  and  vexations  is  evident 
from  the  fa6l  of  his  conveying  the  chief  part  of  his  estate  to  his 
kinsman  Nathaniel  Newhall,  on  condition  of  his  providing  a 
suitable  home  for  him  and  his  good  wife  Sarah,  for  their  closing 
years.  And  we  hope  the  trust  was  more  faithfully  executed  than 
is  sometimes  the  case  at  this  day.  Some  passages  in  the  deed 
of  conveyance  exhibit  a  meek,  pious  and  trustful  spirit,  though  a 
little  weak  withal,  and  may  interest  the  reader :  "  To  all  Chris- 
tian people  to  whome  this  present  Deed  of  Gift  shall  come, 
Nathaniel  Handford  of  Lynn  in  y^  County  of  Essex,  Gentl""  and 
Sarah  his  wife  doe  send  greeting :  .  .  .  .  Know  ye  that  wee  y^ 
said  Nathaniel  Handford  and  Sarah  his  wife  being  well  stricken 
in  yeares  and  thereby  waxen  weake  and  not  fitt  to  continue  alone 
and  dwell  by  ourselves  as  wee  haue  done  for  a  long  space  nor 
able  to  doe  one  for  another  as  wee  should  in  duty  &  loue  would 
still  bind  us  and  should  did  not  our  natural  strength  faile  us  which 
we  belieue  y®  Lord  our  good  God  and  Sauiour  in  Jesus  Christ 
will  accept  in  and  through  him  and  not  impute  sin  unto  us  but 
y^  consideration  of  y^  premises  and  duty  bindeth  us  to  take  y* 
most  effe6tuall  course  that  wee  can  for  our  more  easy  and  com- 
fortable liuing  while  our  time  is  appointed  which  wee  willingly 
wait  on  God  for :  And  Seeing  it  hath  pleased  god  to  raise  up 
our  beloued  kinsman  Nathaniel  Newhall  of  y^  same  Towne  and 
County  aforesaid  a  ship-carpenter  who  had  his  name  Nathaniel 
giuen  to  him  in  his  Infancy  for  our  sakes  by  his  parents  now 
Serjeant  John  Newhall  Secundo  and  his  now  wife  and  our  neer 
kinswoman  and  this  said  Nathaniel  Newhall  hauing  shewed  us 
kindness  already  and  hath  taken  as  wee  Trust  a  good  wife  and 
hath  obtayned  a  good  and  comfortable  house  to  entertaine  us 
and  a  convenient  roome  for  us  to  Hue  in  our  old  age  together 
where  wee  shall  not  be  troubled  with  too  much  company  and  our 
said  cousins  are  very  willing  to  haue  us  to  leaue  our  solitary 
place  and  condition  and  to  remoue  our  selues  into  our  Cousin 
Nathaniel  Newhall  aforesaid  his  house  where  he  and  his  wife 

now  dwelleth Wherefore  for  and  in  consideration  of  y* 

premises  and  being  willing  to  free  our  selues  of  y^  Troubles  and 
cares  of  y^  world  and  y®  better  to  prepare  our  selues  for  our 
great  and  solemn  change  wee  doe  therefore  accept  of  y^  kind 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hannibal.     Hart.  143 

loue  of  our  cousin  Nathaniel  Newhall  and  Rest  his  now  wife." 
....  And  then  follow  the  proper  terms  of  conveyance  for  the 
purpose  shadowed  forth  in  this  excursive  preamble.  The  instru- 
ment bears  date  March  31,  1687. 

The  Nathaniel  Newhall  to  whom  the  conveyance  was  made 
removed  to  Boston,  a  few  years  after,  probably  because  his  busi- 
ness as  ship-carpenter  was  better  there,  and  there  he  died,  in 
173 1.  His  grave-stone  may  yet  be  seen  in  Copp's  Hill  burying 
ground.  He  was  born  in  1658,  and  was  a  grandson  of  Anthony 
Newhall,  brother  of  Thomas,  from  whom  most  of  the  present 
Newhalls  of  Lynn  descended. 

Mr.  Handford  was  a  haberdasher  from  London.  See  Annals, 
1635  and  1682. 

Hannibal  —  sexton  of  the  Old  Tunnel  —  a  pious  and  worthy 
man  —  once  a  slave.     See  Annals,  1780. 

Hart,  Samuel.  Some  uncertainty  exists  as  to  the  precise 
time  when  this  individual  -first  appeared  in  Lynn  ;  but  he  prob- 
ably came  in  or  about  1643,  and  was  employed  at  the  iron  works. 
The  Harts  became  a  noted  family.  Among  the  descendants  of 
this  sturdy  settler  not  elsewhere  spoken  of,  was  Captain  Ralph 
Hart,  for  many  years  a  prominent  and  influential  resident  of 
Boston.  He  was  born  in  Lynn,  June  12,  1699,  and  was,  we  think, 
a  grandson,  though  he  is  in  some  genealogical  accounts  set  down 
as  a  great-grandson,  of  Samuel.  In  1742  he  was  commissioned 
by  Governor  Shirley  as  "  Lieutenant  of  the  foot  company  of  the 
Town  of  Boston,"  and  in  1754,  as  Captain  of  the  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Artillery.  He  married  Mary  Hudson  of  Lynn,  Nov. 
27,  1722,  and  she  died  August  2,  1733,  aged  34.  His  second 
wife,  Lois,  died  November  5,  1751,  aged  46.  Their  grave-stones 
are  still  to  be  seen  in  Copp's  Hill  burying  ground,  in  Boston, 
bearing  little  or  no  mark  of  injury  by  the  ravages  of  the  British 
soldiers  during  their  occupation  of  the  town.  A  daughter  of  his 
married  Joshua  Bowles,  who  belonged  to  a  highly  conne6led 
family,  and  was  brother-in-law  of  Benjamin  Lynde,  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Province.  Their  son,  Captain  Ralph  Hart  Bowles,  served 
faithfully  during  the  whole  of  the  Revolution  ;  and  after  the  war 
was  over,  settled  on  the  outskirt  of  civilization  near  the  Maine 


144  Biographical  Sketches.     Hart. 

frontier.  His  wife  was  distinguished  for  refinement,  elegant 
manners,  and  true  dignity  and  strength  of  chara6ler  ;  and  her 
influence  in  molding  the  social  condition  of  the  little  wilderness 
community  was  excellent  and  enduring.  She  died  in  1847,  at 
the  age  of  82,  and  her  remains  were  entombed  at  Mount  Auburn, 
in  the  lot  of  her  son  Stephen  J.  Bowles.  Samuel  Bowles,  so 
long  conspicuous  and  influential  as  editor  of  the  Springfield 
Republican  was  a  descendant. 

Then  there  was  Edmund  Hart,  the  skillful  naval  architeft,  a 
native  of  Lynn,  who  lived  in  the  Lois  Hart  house,  on  Boston 
street  a  few  rods  west  of  Federal.  The  famous  frigate  Constitu- 
tion was  built  at  his  ship-yard,  in  North  End,  Boston  ;  and  as  a 
good  view  of  the  yard  could  be  had  from  Noddle's  Island,  now 
East  Boston,  hundreds  went  over  from  the  town  to  see  the 
launch.  But  the  land  which  the  ship-yard  occupied  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  well  chosen,  as  it  was  found  that  the  ways 
were  liable  to  sink.  Two  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made 
before  the  frigate  took  kindly  to  her  destiny.  Sometime  before 
the  Revolution,  Admiral  Montague  favored  the  project  of  having 
a  British  navy  yard  at  the  island,  remarking  that  "  the  devil  had 
got  into  the  government  when  they  fixed  the  navy  yard  at  Hali- 
fax," for  "  God  Almighty  made  Noddle's  Island  on  purpose  for  a 
dock  yard."  But  if  it  was  preferable  to  Charlestown  why  did  not 
our  own  government  establish  the  navy  yard  there }  Had  a 
British  dock  yard  been  established  there,  in  provincial  times, 
instead  of  at  Halifax,  how  different  would  probably  have  been 
the  series  of  events  that  followed,  and  how  different  the  condition 
of  the  whole  country  at  this  day. 

The  Hart  family  is  extensively  distributed  over  the  country  ; 
and  it  seems  quite  certain  that  they  did  not  all  come  from  one 
family  of  immigrants.  There  was  a  John  Hart,  a  Quaker  preach- 
er, who  came  with  William  Penn,  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania, 
having  purchased  a  thousand  acres  of  land  before  coming  over. 
He  left  male  descendants,  one  or  two  of  whom,  having  abjured 
the  faith  of  their  fathers,  became  conspicuous  as  military  leaders 
in  Indian  confli61;s  and  in  the  Revolution.  The  similarity  of 
christian  names,  however,  rather  indicates  that  all  came  from  the 
same  stock,  not  many  generations  back.  "  Honest  John  Hart," 
a  well-to-do  New  Jersey  farmer,  whose  name  appears  on  that 


Biographical    Sketches.     Hart.  145 

world-famed  instrument,  the  Declaration  of  American  Independ- 
ence, and  who  for  his  temerity  in  thus  employing  his  autograph, 
was  subje6led  to  great  hardship  and  loss,  will  never  be  forgotten. 
And  a  grandson  of  his,  living  in  West  Virginia,  had  five  sons  in 
the  Union  army  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 

A  neat  volume  of  six  hundred  pages,  embracing  a  genealogical 
history  of  Deacon  Stephen  Hart  and  his  descendants  evidently 
prepared  with  a  good  deal  of  care  by  Alfred  Andrews  of  New 
Britain,  Ct.,  was  published  a  few  years  since  ;  and  in  the  intro- 
duction is  given  a  roving  view  of  the  family  at  large,  which 
embraces  some  gatherings  of  much  interest.  In  it  are  found  the 
names  of  thirty-one  authors,  with  the  titles  of  their  principal 
works  ;  among  them  Francis  Bret  Harte,  the  rollicking  humorist, 
author  of  "  Luck  of  Roaring  Camp,"  &c.  Then  there  are  the 
names  of  twenty-seven  physicians,  twenty-five  clergymen,  and 
of  soldiers  who  have  served  their  country  in  various  wars,  two 
hundred  and  thirty.  Few  families  can  show  a  better  record  than 
the  Hart.  The  earlier  and  more  prominent  of  those  in  Lynn, 
seem  to  have  located  along  Boston  street,  especially  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Federal.  Joseph  Hart,  a  farmer,  owned  and  occupied  the 
ancient  Richard  Haven  house  that  stood  on  the  south-west 
corner  formed  by  the  two  streets  just  named,  and  was  for  many 
years  noticeable  from  the  huge  buttonwood  standing  in  front. 
This  house  was  the  same  that  disappeared  in  a  patriotic  blaze 
on  the  morning  of  July  4,  1876,  the  centennial  anniversary,  as 
noticed  in  our  Annals  under  that  date.  And  upon  the  lot  next 
west  was  the  home  of  Edmund  and  Ralph  Hart.  There  too 
lived  their  near  kinswoman,  Lois  Hart,  a  strong-minded  woman 
of  the  rougher  sort  —  rough  in  speech  and  manners  —  made  so, 
perhaps,  in  some  degree,  by  the  hard  fortune  to  which  she  was 
subje6led. 

There  is  some  doubt  as  to  when  the  first  person  of  the  family 
name  appeared  in  Lynn.  There  was  an  Isaac  Hart  here  in 
1640,  who  is  said  to  have  afterwards  removed  to  Reading.  And 
if,  as  seems  probable,  he  was  the  individual  referred  to  in  the 
following  entry  found  on  the  Colony  Records  under  date  July 
30,  1640,  there  was  some  reason  for  his  removal,  and  no  cause 
for  lamentation  at  his  departure  :  "  Isaack  Hart  bound  himselfe 
in  20/.  to  bee  of  good  behavio"",  and  M""  Rob^  Saltonstall  bound 

10 


146  Biographical  Sketches.     Haven.     Hawkcs. 

himselfe  in  10/.  for  the  said  Isa :  Hart  his  good  behavio'',  till  he 

dep*  out  of  the  plantation,  or  bring  a  note  from 

that  he  is  free  from  fear."  It  does  not  appear  what  the  rogue 
had  done  or  left  undone ;  but  it  looks  as  if  he  was  put  under 
bonds  for  some  sort  of  a  threat.  For  genealogical  tracings  see 
Annals,  1650.  The  name  has  prevailed  to  some  extent  in  Lynn 
for  considerably  more  than  two  hundred  years.  And  if  there  is 
an  ambition  to  conne6l  it  agreeably  with  old-world  associations, 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  Shakspeare's  sister  Joan  married  a 
Hart,  and  that  the  illustrious  bard  left  legacies  to  his  three 
nephews,  her  children,  the  bequests  being  in  these  words  :  "  Item : 
I  give  and  bequeath  unto  her  three  sons  William  Hart,  [Thomas] 
Hart  and  Michael  Hart,  five  pounds  apiece,  to  be  paid  one  year 
after  my  decease." 

Haven,  Richard.  Mr.  Haven  was  ancestor  of  the  large 
family  of  the  name  now  scattered  all  over  the  country.  His 
wife,  Susanna,  was  a  sister  of  Thomas  Newhall,  the  first  white 
person  born  in  Lynn,  and  they  had  twelve  children.  He  lived 
in  the  old  house  that  stood  till  1876,  on  the  south-west  corner 
of  Boston  and  Federal  streets,  when  it  was  consumed  in  the 
centennial  bonfire,  on  Reservoir  Hill.  Bishop  Gilbert  Haven 
and  his  cousin  Bishop  Erastus  O.  Haven,  of  the  Methodist 
church,  were  lineal  descendants  of  his.  Samuel  F.  Haven,  ll.  d., 
a  son  of  Judge  Haven,  who  died  in  Worcester,  September  5,  1881, 
at  the  age  of  75,  having  served  forty-three  years  as  librarian 
of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  was  also  a  descendant ; 
and  a  son  of  the  latter,  a  surgeon  of  great  merit,  who  was  attached 
to  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  in  the  civil  war,  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  See  Annals,  1640,  and 
other  early  dates. 

Hawkes,  Adam.  This  individual  was  one  of  the  first  comers, 
and  located  upon  our  inland  border,  in  what  is  now  known  as 
North  Saugus,  having  a  grant  of  land  which  included  the  terri- 
tory containing  the  ore  first  used  at  the  iron  works.  Possessing 
rather  a  lively  suspicion  that  the  company  were  inclined  to 
encroach  upon  his  rights,  he  was  not  always  at  peace  with  them  ; 
and  to  him  and  his  neighbor  Dexter  is  no  doubt  to  be  attributed 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine.  147 

somewhat  of  that  harrassing  legal  warfare  that  proved  so  disas- 
trous to  the  enterprise.  A  large  and  interesting  gathering  of  his 
descendants  was  held  on  the  original  farm,  on  the  28th  and  29th 
of  July,  1880,  of  which  a  notice  may  be  found  in  the  Annals 
of  that  year.     See  also  Annals,  1630. 

Hazeltine,  Dr.  Richard.  Do6lor  Hazeltine  was  one  of  those 
staid  and  sober  gentlemen  who  have  great  weight  in  a  community  ; 
whose  movements,  professionally  and  socially,  are  well-considered, 
and  who  are  not  liable  to  be  swayed  by  notions  instead  of  prin- 
ciples. He  was  kind  in  manners,  but  very  precise,  and  came  to 
be  popularly  regarded  as  a  strait-laced  old-school  gentleman. 
In  short,  he  was  just  one  of  those  persons  who  enjoy  the  respe6t 
but  not  always  the  love  of  those  by  whom  they  are  surrounded. 
For  professional  dignity  and  propriety  he  was  a  great  stickler ;  a 
characleristic  aptly  illustrated  by  a  little  occurrence  which  took 
place  when  Dr.  Barker  came  here,  in  1832,  and  which  the  latter 
himself  described  to  the  writer  in  his  inimitable  semi-serious 
way.  He  had  located  near  Lynn  Hotel,  into  the  hospitable  public 
room  of  which  gentlemen  from  all  quarters  of  the  town  were 
accustomed  to  drop,  to  look  over  the  newspapers  —  for  no  dailies 
were  then  distributed  by  carriers  —  and  hear  the  gossip  of  the 
day.  Deacon  Field,  as  we  all  called  him,  was  the  managing 
spirit  though  not  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment.  He  was 
adlive  and  polite,  and  indefatigable  in  his  endeavors  to  make  his 
domain  attraftive  and  his  visitors  at  ease. 

One  morning,  while  Dr.  Barker,  who  had  been  very  kindly 
received  by  the  four  or  five  other  physicians  then  resident  here, 
was  in  the  room,  Dr.  Hazeltine  dropped  in,  and  the  Deacon 
availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  efife6t  a  formal  introdu6lion. 
Dr.  H.  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  name  of  Dr.  B.  assumed  one 
of  his  lofty  looks  —  and  he  was  so  tall  that  he  could  look  over 
the  heads  of  most  people  —  and  without  offering  his  hand,  re- 
marked, "  Ah,  yes,  I  have  heard  of  a  Mister  Barker  coming  to 
Lynn,  as  a  physician  ;  but  having  examined  the  Medical  Soci- 
ety's catalogue  without  finding  his  name  I  feel  constrained  to 
withhold  professional  recognition  till  further  informed."  Do6i:or 
Barker,  naturally  enough,  not  knowing  the  peculiarities  of  the 
other,  felt  a  little  nettled,  and  tartly  replied,  "  But,  Dr.  Hazeltine, 


148  Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine. 

your  examination  was  not  thorough,  or  you  would  have  seen  by 
the  errata  that  my  name  was  accidentally  omitted  in  the  proper 
place."  "Very  well,  Mr.  Barker,"  rejoined  Dr.  H.,  "  I  will  im- 
pose upon  myself  the  duty  of  a  further  examination.  In  the 
mean  time  allow  me  to  welcome  you  as  a  new  resident  of  our 
town,  and  to  bid  you  a  very  good  morning."  A  few  days  after, 
Dr.  H.  called  on  Dr.  B.,  informed  him  that  he  had  re-examined 
the  catalogue,  found  the  fa6l  as  claimed,  and  with  great  cordiality 
welcomed  him  as  a  professional  brother.  And  that  he  was  sincere 
and  retained  his  good  feeling  is  abundantly  shown  by  entries  in 
his  journal. 

Dr.  Hazeltine  also  served  as  a  magistrate,  and  his  judgments 
bore  the  impress  of  careful  and  conscientious  investigation  and 
consideration.  His  copy  of  old  "  Dickinson's  Justice,"  with  its 
many  marginal  notes,  in  his  clear  and  compa6l  hand-writing  is 
now  in  possession  of  the  writer.  But  of  course  the  great  busi- 
ness of  his  life  was  the  medical  pra6lice.  In  that  he  was  faithful 
and  trustworthy  though  some  thought  him  a  little  too  strongly 
bound  by  old  customs  and  traditions.  He  had  great  faith  in  the 
virtue  of  hops,  especially  in  the  simple  form  of  a  tea,  and  so 
frequently  prescribed  the  infusion  that  some  were  so  impolite  as 
to  call  him  "  the  hop-tea  do6tor."  Indeed  certain  libelous  articles 
touching  this  peculiarity  of  his  appeared  in  the  Mirror,  written, 
it  is  believed,  by  Enoch  Curtin,  in  a  playful  mood.  The  editor 
was  proceeded  against,  and  the  jury  awarded  the  Do6lor  a  con- 
siderable amount  in  damages  ;  but  he,  as  the  editor  long  after 
informed  the  writer,  very  readily  relinquished  all  but  his  adlual 
costs,  and  continued  to  treat  him  as  if  no  occasion  for  difference 
had  occurred. 

The  books  of  daily  charges  kept  by  Doftor  Hazeltine,  were,  a 
number  of  years  ago,  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  writer ;  and  a 
few  extracts,  which  can  harm  no  one,  will  no  doubt  be  interesting 
as  showing  the  scale  of  professional  charges,  and  at  the  same 
time  exhibit  the  precise  and  detailed  manner  in  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  record  his  transadlions.  The  first  book  of  the 
series  bears  the  inscription,  "  Richard  Hazeltine's  Day  Book 
He  removed  with  his  family  from  South  Berwick  to  Lynn,  May 
30,  1 81 7."  He  however  must  have  been  here  himself  some  time 
before  he  brought  his  family,  for  the  first  charge  to  a  patient  i.'' 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine.  i^c^ 

under  date  May  13,  and  stands  thus:  "Samuel  Chase,  Dr.  to 
18  visits;  i.e.  2  visits  a  day  from  Sabbath  the  4th  inst.  to 
yesterday,  including  both,  and  sundry  articles  of  medicine,  such 
as  [enumerating,]  10.25." 

The  Do6lor  must  have  soon  secured  a  large  pradlice,  judging 
from  the  number  of  his  charges  ;  but  to  a  physician  of  this  day 
his  fees  would  seem  amusingly  low,  a  fa6l  which  in  a  great 
measure  may  account  for  the  statement  that  he  made  a  little 
before  his  death,  to  the  efife6l  that  his  profession  had  scarcely 
yielded  enough  to  pay  expenses  during  his  whole  residence  in 
Lynn.  A  much  greater  proportion  of  "  bad  debts  "  no  doubt 
accumulated  in  those  days  than  in  later  times,  in  all  professions. 
But  let  us  present  the  promised  samples  of  the  Doctor's  every 
day  entries. 

1817.  Aug.  2.     George  Hamlin,  credit  by  2  phials  and  med.  returned,     .13. 

1817.  Aug.  6.     Frederic  Newhall,  Dr.  to  calling  and  waiting  some  time  to  see  your 

sister,     i.oo. 
1819.  Feb.  21.     Enoch  Mudge,  Dr.  to  calling  from  the  meeting-house  and  e.xtra6ting 

a  tooth  for  yourself,    .50. 
1819.  March  6.     James  Lewis,  Cr.  by  a  fresh  fish,  weighing  8  lb.  at  2  cents  a  pound. 
1819.  March  21.     Peter  Shott,  Dr.  to  calling  to  see  you  this  morning,     .25. 
1819.  April  9.     Benjamin  Burrill,  Dr.  to  a  visit,  and  making  lint  for  your  sore,    .50. 
1819.     June  10.     Stephen  Oliver,  Dr.  to  a  three  dollar  bill,  for  one  that  I  borrowed 

of  you,  last  week. 

1819.  July  21.  Jonathan  Connor,  credit,  by  six  cords  of  wood,  taken  on  the  wharf, 
at  $6  a  cord,  to  be  paid  for  in  60  days. 

1S19.  Sept.  I.     John  Newhall,  Dr.  to  calling  to  see  your  aunt  Nabby,    0.25. 

1820.  March  4.     Abel  Houghton,  Dr.  to  a  visit  for  yourself,     .25. 

1820.  March  8.     Rufus  P.  Hovey,  Esq.  Dr.  to  a  visit  and  a  phial  and  vin.  ipecac  for 

yourself,     84. 
1820.  March  13.     Henry  A.  Breed,  credit  by  i  lb.  8  penny  and  i  lb.  6  penny  wrought 

nails,  at  18  and  22  cents,     .40. 
1820.  April  10.     Henry  A.  Breed,  credit,  by  i  gal.  Lisbon  wine,  at  $1.50,  and  i  1-2 

pint  of  brandy,  33,     $1.83. 
1820.  April  15.     Miss  Lydia  Stackpole,  credit  by  your  assistance  in  my  family  since 

Monday  morning,  before  breakfast,  till  this  morning,  after  breakfast. 
1820.  April  28.     Preserved  Sprague,   Dr.  to  a  visit,  making  lint,  &c.,  and  dressing 

your  wound,  and  to  a  piece  of  bandage.     .75. 

1820.  May  16.  Jonathan  Buffum,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  morning  and  to  10  oz.  of  tama- 
rinds, sent  this  evening  by  my  boy,     0.42. 

1821.  March  5.  This  evening  Mr.  Trevett  borrowed  Hannah  More's  St.  Paul,  Dr. 
Worcester  on  Baptism  and  Medical  Dissertations. 

1821.  March  28.  Mrs.  Mary  Carter,  Concord,  N.  H. :  Her  little  son  William 
Franklin  Carter  came  to  my  house  last  Monday  evening,  to  board  and  go  to 
school.     I  am  to  board   him  for  his  schooling  [?]  and  what  services  he  will 


150  Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine. 

render  in  my  family.     This  morning  he  gave  me  sixty-five  cents  in  cash,  which 

he  brought  with  him,  and  for  which  I  am  accountable  to  his  mother. 
1S21.  July  10.     Abel  Houghton,  credit,  by  mending  my  boot  a  little,  yesterday,     .06. 
1821.  Nov.  2.     Amos  Breed,  credit  by  a  barrel  of  cider  [I  found  the  barrel]  and  by 

6  hoops   and  paying  for  setting   them  —  hoops  2  cents  each,  setting  4  cents 

each,  .36 ;     cider,  2.50.     2.86. 
1821,  Nov.  3.     Enoch  Curtin,  Dr.  to  a  visit  early  this  morning  and  another  at  11 

o'clock,  and  assisting  in  moving  you,     1.50. 

1821.  Nov.  28.  Thomas  Hamlin,  credit,  by  repairing  my  chaise  apartment  door, 
i.  e.  putting  on  hinge,     .06. 

1822.  Jan.  3.  Abner  Alley,  Dr.  to  a  visit,  post  m.  for  your  daughter,  she  having 
injured  her  hand  by  striking  on  a  hair  comb.     .50. 

1834.  March  3.     Mrs.  Mary  Mailey,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  a.  m.  for  yourself,     .25. 
1834.  March  7.     Charles  Chase,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  a.  m.  for  your  daughter  Mary,  0.25. 
1834.  March  8.     Mark  Alley,    Dr.    to  a  visit  this   evening   and   12  pills  for   Mrs, 

Alley,     .38. 
1S34.  March  11.     David  EUis,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  evening  in  co.  with  Dr.  Barker,  for 

your  little  boy,     i.oo. 
1S34.  March  19.     John  B.  Chase,  credit  by  a  five  dollar  bill  paid  me  this  a.  m.  equal 

to  six  dollars,  because  paid  within  sixty  days. 
1834.  March  24.     Abel  Houghton,  Dr.  to  visit  this  a.  m.  and  9  small  p.  ip.  for 

yourself,    0.42. 
1834.  March  28.     Levi  Frost,  credit,  by  repairing  chaise  harness,     .06. 
1834.  March  29.     Alonzo  Lewis,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  morning  and  another  this  p.  m. 

2.  pil.  and  some  vin.  ant.  for  yourself  and  some  cal.  added  in  the  morning  to  two 

former  powders,     .92. 

1834.  April  7.     Alonzo  Lewis,  Dr.  to  a  visit  this  morning  for  yourself,     .25. 

1835.  Feb.  18.  Capt.  Charles  Merritt,  Dr.  to  12  pills  delivered  yourself  this  a.  m. 
at  the  postoffice  door,  and  consilium,     .25. 

1836.  May  6.  Nathaniel  Ingalls,  Dr.  to  cash  paid  you  to-day,  67  cents.  Credit,  by 
assisting  Mr.  Merrill,  the  carpenter,  about  putting  down  some  posts  for  fence, 
for  me,  yesterday,  at  Woodend,  67  cents. 

1836.  May  21.     Daniel  Moulton,  credit,  by  2  hours'  assistance,  at  8  cents  an  hour,  .16. 
1836.  May  21.     Esquire  Daniel  Henshaw,  credit,  by  making  out  my  last  will,  to-day, 
and  attending  to  its  signature,  &c.,     2.09. 

The  Abel  Houghton  named  in  two  or  three  of  the  foregoing 
items,  first,  under  date  March  4,  1820,  lived  in  Pearl  street.  He 
took  great  interest  in  horticulture,  and  it  was  from  him  that  the 
Houghton  Horticultural  Society  took  its  name.  To  him,  also,  we 
are  indebted  for  that  superior  gooseberry  known  as  the  Houghton 
seedling.  Riifiis  P.  Hovcy,  named  under  date  March  8,  1820, 
came  to  Lynn  in  or  about  18 16,  and  opened  an  office  near  the 
Hotel.  He  was  a  young  lawyer  of  good  education  and  fine  abil- 
ities but  destined  soon  to  close  his  life.  He  died  of  consumption 
before  attaining  the  fame  and  honorable  position  which  his 
friends  fondly  believed  awaited  him.     Under  dates  March  13  and 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine.  151 

April  10,  1820,  appears  the  name  of  Henry  A.  Breed.  This  gen- 
tleman, who  is  still  among  us,  a6live  and  genial,  was  then  a  young 
business  man.  At  the  time  of  the  transa6lions  recorded  he  kept 
a  "  West  India  goods  and  variety  store,"  in  the  west  wing  of  the 
Hotel.  A  few  years  after,  he  became  extensively  engaged  in 
building  and  other  semi-speculative  enterprises,  some  of  which 
were  on  a  large  scale.  Possessing  a  sanguine  temperament  and 
great  physical  aftivity,  he  did  more  than  almost  any  other  to  give 
"  a  start "  to  the  Lynn  of  that  period,  and  is  deserving  of  the 
gratitude  of  many  now  living  for  personal  aid.  But  he  has  had 
his  ups  and  downs  ;  his  share  of  praise  and  censure  ;  and  has 
shown  himself  neither  a  fawner  nor  a  misanthrope.  We  can 
hardly  call  to  mind  one  who  has  more  reason  to  keenly  feel  the 
disregard  of  some  now  in  prosperity  who  owe  the  foundation  of 
their  good  fortune  to  him.  Preserved  Spragiie,  who  is  charged 
by  the  Do6lor  with  a  visit  on  April  28,  1820,  was  a  farmer,  and 
lived  on  Nahant  street.  He  wore  a  long  beard,  which  excited 
the  wonder,  if  not  the  admiration  of  almost  every  one  he  met,  as 
it  was  the  fashion,  at  that  time,  for  men  to  be  close-shaven  ; 
mustaches,  especially,  being  an  utter  abomination.  Esquire 
Daniel  HensJiaw,  who  under  date  May  21,  1836,  is  credited  with 
writing  the  Do6lor's  will  —  at  a  price  which  would  make  a  lawyer 
of  this  day  stare  if  it  did  not  induce  some  ejaculation  indicated 
by  a  verb  that  rhymes  with  stare  —  was  a  legal  pra6litioner  who 
settled  in  Lynn,  in  or  about  1833.  He  had  a  classical  education  ; 
but  being  one  who  had  that  rigorous  sense  of  justice  which  for- 
bids the  advocacy  of  any  cause  of  even  doubtful  right,  and  being 
withal  of  a  retiring  disposition,  never  had  much  of  an  a6live 
court  business.  He  was  a  good  writer,  with  very  little  of  the 
pi6luresque  in  his  style,  and  as  editor  of  the  Lynn  Record  — 
the  first  paper  of  that  name  here  —  then  under  the  proprietor- 
ship of  Jonathan  Buffum,  produced  articles  that  were  extensively 
quoted  and  deservedly  praised.  The  Record  was  an  energetic 
advocate  of  the  anti-masonic  cause,  of  temperance,  and  anti-sla- 
very. It  was  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Henshaw  that  the  guard 
of  ladies  condu6led  George  Thompson,  the  English  anti-slavery 
orator,  from  the  First  Methodist  meeting-house,  when  violence 
was  threatened  by  the  excited  crowd ;  an  account  of  which 
occurrence  may  be  found  in  our  Annals,  under  date,   1835.     Mr. 


152  Biographical  Sketches.     Haseltine. 

Henshaw  was  a  man  of  strong  religious  principles  conformable 
to  the  old  Calvinistic  faith. 

Several  other  prominent  residents  whose  names  appear  in 
these  book  charges  will  be  remembered  by  our  elderly  people. 
But  as  something  concerning  most  of  them  may  be  found  where 
they  are  introduced,  in  alphabetical  order,  in  this  volume,  it 
is  unnecessary  to  go  into  details  here.  The  Enoch  Miidge  for 
whom  the  Do6lor  drew  a  tooth,  Feb.  21,  18 19,  being  called  from 
the  meeting-house,  was  Rev.  Enoch  Mudge,  father  of  the  late 
Hon.  Enoch  Redington  Mudge,  and  a  most  worthy  minister 
of  the  Methodist  denomination.  Stephen  Oliver,  to  whom  ^3, 
borrowed  money,  were  paid,  June  10,  18 19;  Jonathan  Con^ior, 
who  sold  the  Do6lor  six  cords  of  wood,  July  21,  1819;  and 
JonatJiaii  BiLJfjivi,  who  had  10  ounces  of  tamarinds,  May  16, 
1820,  were  all  among  the  best-known  business  men  in  the  place. 
Mr.  Trevett,  who  borrowed  the  books,  March  5,  1 821,  was  Robert 
W.  Trevett,  the  lawyer,  who  was  at  that  time  among  the  foremost 
of  the  Essex  bar,  and  could  understand  the  value  of  a  good  book 
as  well  as  any  man  in  town,  Enoch  Curtm,  who  was  so  sick  as 
to  require  two  visits,  Nov.  3,  1821,  was  the  poet  whose  pen  was 
the  one  usually  in  requisition  for  odes,  hymns,  and  other  occa- 
sional pieces.  Alonzo  Lewis,  who  also  needed  two  visits,  and 
medicine,  March  29,  1834,  was  the  Lynn  bard  and  historian. 
Capt.  Charles  Merritt,  who  was  supplied  with  pills,  Feb,  18,  1835, 
at  the  postofifice  door,  was  the  deputy  sheriff  who  so  acceptably 
filled  that  disagreeable  office  for  forty  years. 

The  items  quoted  above  from  the  books  of  Do6lor  Hazeltine 
are  quite  enough  to  show  his  exa6lness  and  methodical  way  of 
doing  things  even  in  those  minor  details  which  to  most  people 
appear  frivolous.  But  that  orderliness,  no  doubt,  saved  him  from 
much  of  the  tedious  ransacking  of  the  memory  and  many  of  the 
petty  disputes  to  which  less  careful  persons  are  constantly  sub- 
jefted  ;  and  it  was  certainly  an  improvement  on  the  method 
of  keeping  accounts  adopted  by  another  Lynn  physician,  well 
known  to  the  writer,  who  made  his  charges  on  all  sorts  of  odd 
scraps  of  paper,  which  he  thrust  indiscriminately  into  a  bag,  to 
which  he  resorted  and  drew  out  for  colle6lion  when  money  was 
wanted.  Some  of  the  extradls  ma}''  look  as  if  sele6led  for  their 
quaintncss  or  merely  as  curiosities  ;  but  we  have  no  such  object. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hazeltine.  153 

The  design  is  to  show  the  Do6lor's  great  conscientiousness  and 
care,  as  well  as  something  of  the  state  of  things  at  that  time. 

In  his  religious  connexions,  Dr.  Hazeltine  ranked  with  the 
Calvinistic  Congregationalists.  He  was  rigid  and  consistent, 
but  yet  too  high-minded  not  to  deferentially  regard  the  opinions 
of  others.  His  only  daughter,  Phebe,  a  very  intelligent  and  alert 
lady,  though  not  without  noticeable  peculiarities,  became  an 
Episcopalian  ;  and  we  have  some  recolleftion  of  her  once  re- 
marking that  her  father  expressed  approval  rather  than  disappro- 
bation of  her  sentiments.  His  religious  tendencies  were  not 
merely  theoretical,  for  there  was  evidently  an  earnest  desire  to 
give  them  a  pra6lical  bearing  upon  the  daily  walk.  His  first 
book  of  charges  is  prefaced  by  two  pages  of  '^Precepts  to  be 
read  and  duly  regarded  before  eharging."  They  are  chiefly  taken 
from  the  Scriptures,  and  if  lived  up  to,  would  make  an  almost 
perfeft  man.  The  twenty-ninth  appears  as  a  didlate  of  "  con- 
science," and  reads  in  this  wise :  "  In  all  thy  endeavors  to  alle- 
viate human  misery,  be  careful  by  no  means  to  increase  it,  either 
by  negligent,  careless,  or  unfeeling  attention  to  the  sick,  nor  by 
extravagant  charges  for  thy  services,  nor  by  oppressive  or  inhu- 
man measures  in  collefting  thy  demands."  That  he  was  truly 
conscientious,  and  never  disposed  to  thwart  the  kindly  endeavors 
of  nature  to  restore  health,  by  uncertain  experiments,  cannot  be 
doubted. 

The  house  in  which  Dr.  Hazeltine  lived  during  the  whole 
of  his  life  here,  is  still  standing  on  the  south  side  of  Essex  street, 
between  High  and  Pearl  streets.  It  was  for  many  years  one 
of  the  best  and  most  conspicuous  in  town,  and  no  other  building 
was  near  enough  to  obscure  the  very  commanding  view.  The 
site  was  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  the  chosen  seat  of  a  line 
of  worthies  of  the  healing  art.  Dr.  John  Henry  Burchstead, 
who  came  from  Silecia,  in  1685,  settled  here ;  after  him,  his  son. 
Dr.  Henry  Burchstead,  lived  on  the  place,  and  it  is  thought  built 
the  present  house,  which  was  subsequently  the  residence  of  Dr. 
Peter  G.  Robbins-,  who  came  in  1805.  From  the  latter,  Dr. 
Hazeltine  had  it,  in  18 17,  probably  at  first,  as  a  tenant,  the  earliest 
entry  in  one  of  his  books  being  a  charge  against  Dr.  Robbins 
for  money  paid  Micajah  Cutler  for  whitewashing  and  laying 
a  hearth.     It  is  now  so  hemmed  in  by  other  buildings  that  a 


154     Biographical    Sketches.     Henchmaji.     Hitchings. 

passer-by  would  hardly  notice  it.  For  many  years  it  was  known 
as  the  house  with  the  great  whale  bones  for  gate-posts,  and  more 
often  inquired  for  by  strangers,  than  any  other  house  in  town,  as 
the  cottage  of  Moll  Pitcher,  the  celebrated  fortune-teller,  stood 
on  the  opposite  hill-side,  and  the  stealthy  visitor  thus  sought  to 
conceal  the  real  obje6l  of  his  inquiry.  Dr.  Robbins  was  father 
of  Rev.  Chandler  Robbins,  a  prominent  Unitarian  minister,  in 
Boston,  and  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Robbins,  the  third  minister  of  the 
Unitarian  society  in  Lynn  ;  and  in  that  house  the  reverend  bro- 
thers were  born. 

Dr.  Hazeltine  was  born  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  Nov.  28,  1773,  and 
died  July  10,  1836,  as  noted  in  our  Annals  of  that  year. 

Henchman,  Rev.  Nathaniel  —  minister  of  the  First  Parish, 
forty-one  years  ;  settled  in  1720;  died  in  1761,  aged  61.  His 
residence  was  on  North  Common  street,  a  few  rods  east  of  Mall. 
See  Annals,  1761. 

Hentz,  Caroline  Lee  —  an  accomplished  prose  writer.  See 
Annals,  1680. 

Hitchings,  Major  Ezra  —  was  born  April  15,  1765,  in  what 
is  now  Saugus,  and  died  at  his  residence  in  Lynn,  Nov.  26,  1829. 
For  many  years  he  was  one  of  the  most  marked  chara6lers  in 
the  town  and  had  great  influence,  though  not  generally  in  the 
most  prominent  offices.  His  military  title  was  conferred  b}/ 
the  position  he  held  in  the  militia  regiment  of  Lynn.  He  was 
also  a  freemason,  a  member  of  the  old  fire-club  —  a  voluntary 
organization  for  mutual  assistance  in  case  of  fire  —  and  one  or 
two  other  brotherhoods,  social  or  benevolent.  He  loved  music 
and  with  his  neighbor.  Master  Blanchard,  and  his  bass-viol,  no 
doubt  passed  many  an  enjoyable  evening  hour. 

But  the  image  of  the  Major  looms  up  most  conspicuously  at 
his  West  India  goods  store,  on  Boston  street,  at  the  corner  of 
Federal.  There  he  was  to  be  found  at  all,  reasonable  hours, 
ready  to  deal  out  his  commodities,  even  to  the  cent's  worth,  to 
discuss  religion  with  the  minister  or  deacon,  politics  with  'Squire 
Carnes,  Amos  Rhodes,  the  elder,  Benjamin  Massey,  Samuel 
MuUiken,  Daniel  Collins,  or  any  town  notable  ;  or  to  sally  forth 


Biographical  Sketches.     HitcJdngs.  155 

with  measuring  rod  in  hand  at  the  beck  of  any  teamster  with  his 
load  from  the  woods.  And,  shifting  the  scene  a  little,  we  behold 
him  if  it  be  a  day  of  military  parade,  standing  at  his  <Joor, 
intently  watching  the  evolutions  of  a  straggling  militia  company 
in  the  elaborate  exercise  of  whipping-the-snake,  or  some  similarly 
pifturesque  manoeuvre,  in  the  little  square  fronting  his  premises. 

The  business  of  the  Major  yielded  him  a  comfortable  mainte- 
nance, but  nothing  more,  for  the  multiplicity  of  bad  debts,  in 
those  days,  was  a  sad  draw-back  to  the  retail  trader.  It  was  a 
day  of  small  things.  The  shoe-manufa6lurers  did  a  limited 
business,  drew  orders  on  the  retailers,  and  in  some  cases  made 
periodical  failures.  He  was  a  careful  purchaser  and  avoided  all 
dishonest  tricks  of  trade  ;  would  not  even  water  the  rum  he  sold  ; 
and  could  not  comprehend  the  exalted  morality  of  those  virtuous 
brethren  in  the  trade  who,  with  consciences  as  weak  as  their 
own  "  extended  "  liquors,  sought  to  convince  him  that  to  reduce 
the  drink  was  a  mercy  to  the  poor  deluded  toper. 

The  Major  was  in  many  ways  a  most  valuable  man  for  any 
neighborhood  ;  sound  in  judgment,  liberal  in  opinions,  and  ever 
ready  to  give  his  best  advice  to  those  who  sought  his  counsel. 
He  was  not  much  given  to  hilarity  or  jets  of  humor,  but  rather 
inclined  to  the  dignified  and  thoughtful  mood,  though  by  no 
means  unsocial.  With  his  stern  sense  of  duty  he  had  kindly 
sympathies,  though  occasional  bluntness  of  expression  might  givt 
a  false  coloring  to  his  real  feeling.  Elderly  people  paid  much 
deference  to  him,  but  from  some  cause,  he  failed  to  secure  the 
good-will  of  the  juvenile  fraternity.  In  short,  the  boys  had  little 
love  for  him,  though  it  is  not  believed  that  any  were  inclined  to 
manifest  their  dislike  in  a  rough  way.  His  dignity  of  bearing 
was  enough  to  have  prevented  any  thing  of  that  sort.  It  was 
probably  difficult  for  him  to  come  down  to  their  level,  if,  indeed, 
he  had  power  to  discern  where  they  stood.  Some  of  us  were 
inclined  to  think  he  never  could  have  been  a  boy  himself  One 
day  a  little  fellow  went  into  his  store  and  asked  for  something 
for  Mr.  Benjamin  Newhall,  and  was  met  with  the  repellent  ejacu- 
lation, uttered  in  a  voice  not  the  most  placid  and  with  an  air 
any  thing  but  winsome,  "  Why  do'nt  you  say  your  father  ;  don't 
you  suppose  I  know  who  you  are,  and  who  your  father  is  ;  I 
hope  I  know  neighbors  who  have  always  lived  next  door."     The 


156  Biographical    Sketches.     Holyoke.     Hood. 

same  lad  had  occasion  presently  again  to  go  to  the  store,  and 
remembering  the  admonition  was  careful  to  say  "  for  my  father." 
"  Aod  who  is  your  father  } "  was  the  quick  response,  in  the  old 
inclement  voice;  "do  you  suppose  I  know  every  boy  in  the 
street,  and  who  his  father  is  ;  why  do'nt  you  give  your  father's 
name  .•'  "  That  boy  was  pretty  sure,  ever  after,  to  say,  "  for  my 
father,  Mr.  Benjamin  Newhall."  These  remarks  are  not  made 
for  the  purpose  of  casting  refleftions  on  a  really  worthy  man,  or 
to  unnecessarily  exhibit  his  foibles,  but  for  the  opportunity  of 
suggesting  that  most  of  us  might  profit  by  the  example.  It  is 
easy  to  win  the  good-will  of  the  juvenile  legion  by  whom  we  are 
surrounded,  and  quite  as  easy  to  lose  it.  And  is  it  not  much 
better  to  have  the  sympathy  and  friendship  of  those  who  are 
growing  up  around  us,  and  on  whom  we  shall  surely  be  more  or 
less  dependent,  than  to  have  their  ill-will  and  opposition  ?  But 
he  was  not  blessed  with  any  children  of  his  own  ;  yet  he 
adopted  several,  whom  he  brought  up  in  the  most  creditable 
manner.  In  this  matter,  however,  he  was  seconded  by  his 
excellent  wife  who  was  undoubtedly  entitled  to  a  large  share 
of  the  praise  due  for  such  commendable  benevolence. 

The  Major  was  one  of  the  early  and  a6live  members  of  the 
Unitarian  society,  did  what  he  could  in  a  pecuniary  way,  but 
more  efficiently  aided  by  his  exemplary  life.  His  wife  was  of  the 
same  faith.  She  was  a  sister  of  Col.  James  Robinson,  the  first 
postmaster,  and  a6led  well  her  part  in  the  management  of  their 
hospitable  and  happy  home.  She  was  a  woman  of  much  force 
of  charafter,  lively  and  sensible;  and  her  conversation,  even  in 
old  age,  was  not  only  cheerful,  but  marked  by  a  vein  of  attra6live 
humor,  and  replete  with  pleasing  reminiscences. 

Holyoke,  Edward  —  a  farmer  and  large  land-holder  ;  ances- 
lor  of  the  respeftable  Holyoke  family  of  New  England  ;  a  man 
of  note  in  the  Colony  and  honored  in  her  councils.  See  Annals, 
1630,  and  other  early  dates.  His  autograph  is  on  the  Armitage 
Petition. 

Hood,  George  —  the  first  Mayor  of  Lynn  —  was  twice  eledled 
to  the  office,  and  inaugurated  May  14,  1850,  and  April  7,  185  i. 
He  died  June  29,   1859,  aged   52.     For  biographical  notice  see 


Biographical  Sketches.     Hutchinsoii.     Ingalh.        157 

1865  edition  of  History  of  Lynn.     See  also  Centennial  Memorial 
for  notice  with  portrait.     A  fac-simile  of  his  autograph  follows. 


HuMFREY,  John  —  an  original  Colonial  proprietor  and  Lynn 
settler  —  eminent  for  his  attainments,  respe6led  for  his  high 
social  position,  and  honored  for  his  wisdom  in  council.  See 
Annals,  1634,  1641,  and  other  early  dates.  The  following  repre- 
sents his  signature. 


^^;  ^UArynj^^^^.^ 


HuRD,  Rev.  Isaac  —  minister  of  the  First  Parish  —  settled  in 
1813.     See  Annals,  1816. 

Hutchinson,  Jesse,  of  the  Hutchinson  family  of  singers. 
The  picturesque  stone  cottage  at  High  Rock,  was  built  by  him, 
in  1847.     He  died  in  1853.     See  Annals,  1853. 

Hutchinson,  Judson  J.  —  also  of  the  family  of  singers.  He 
died  at  his  residence.  High  Rock,  Jan.  11,  1859,  aged  38.  See 
Annals,  1859. 

Ingalls,  Edmund  and  Francis.  "  The  first  white  men  known 
to  have  been  inhabitants  of  Lynn,  were  Edmund  Ingalls  and  his 
brother  Francis."  So  states  Mr.  Lewis  ;  but  it  is  quite  certain 
that  others  came  with  them.  At  the  celebration  of  the  two 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  settlement  —  June  17, 
1879  —  ^^  names  of  these  pioneers  were  heard  on  every  side,  and 
much  curiosity  was  manifested  to  view  the  vicinity  wherein  they 
first  pitched  their  tents.  The  grand  procession,  in  its  march 
through  Woodend,  halted  to  enable  those  who  desired,  to  take 
a  near  look  at  the  spot  on  which  stood  the  humble  habitation 
of  Edmund,  near  Gold  Fish  pond.  At  the  celebration,  too,  were 
read  letters  from  John  J.  Ingalls,  United  States  Senator  from 


158    Biographical    Sketches.     Ireson.     Jacobs.     Jaiks. 

Kansas,  and  Rufus  Ingalls,  an  officer  in  the  United  States  service 
descendants  of  Edmund.  Many  of  the  lineage  have  held  useful 
and  honorable  positions  here  in  the  family  home,  and  a  number 
are  now  counted  among  our  most  worthy  citizens.  See  Annals, 
1629,  and  other  early  dates. 

Ireson,  Samuel  Edwin.  Mr.  Ireson  died  of  consumption  on 
the  7th  of  September,  1875,  at  the  age  of  44  years.  He  was  a 
son  of  Samuel  J.  Ireson,  and  a  well-educated  lawyer,  as  well  as 
classical  scholar,  having  graduated  at  Harvard,  with  the  1853 
class.  After  completing  a  regular  course  of  legal  study,  he  com- 
menced practice  in  Boston,  but  subsequently  took  an  office  in 
Lynn,  his  native  place,  and  continued  with  a  growing  reputation 
and  business,  till  failing  health  intervened.  In  1873  and  1874  he 
was  City  Solicitor  ;  but  his  health  still  declining,  he  was  induced 
in  the  spring  of  1875,  to  visit  the  West  Indies.  Receiving  no 
substantial  benefit,  he  returned,  to  close  his  life  in  a  few  months. 
He  was  a  man  of  genial  manners  and  liberal  views  ;  had  a  fine 
literary  taste,  and  wrote  a  few  poems  which  were  much  admired. 
His  funeral  took  place  from  the  Unitarian  meeting-house,  which 
had  been  his  place  of  worship  from  childhood,  and  was  attended 
by  the  chief  officers  of  the  city,  by  the  brethren  of  the  legal 
profession,  and  by  many  friends.  He  left  a  widow,  but  no 
children. 

Jacobs,  Benjamin  H.  —  undertaker  at  the  First  Parish  for 
thirty  years.     He  died  June  16,  1869,  aged  ^6.    See  Annals,  1869. 

Jenks,  Joseph.  From  all  that  appears,  Mr.  Jenks  came  hither 
from  Hammersmith,  England,  as  an  operative  at  the  iron  works. 
But  he  was  not  destined  long  to  remain  in  an  obscure  position, 
for  his  skill  and  ingenuity  soon  commended  him  to  the  notice 
of  the  Court  and  the  country  at  large.  And  well  may  he  be 
called  the  pioneer  inventor  of  America.  For  his  ingenious  con- 
trivances he  was  granted  several  patents,  and  one  or  two  have 
hardly  been  improved  upon  to  the  present  day  —  notably  his 
scythe.  It  is  said  that  the  dies  for  the  famous  pine-tree  coins, 
which  all  bear  date  1652  —  though  they  were  struck  in  different 
years  —  were  made  by  him.     In  our  Annals,  under  date  1654,  it 


Biographical  Sketches,     yohnson.  159 

is  stated  that  the  sele6lmen  of  Boston  agreed  with  Joseph 
Jenks  "  for  an  Ingine  to  carry  water  in  case  of  fire,"  and  that 
this  was  the  first  fire-engine  made  in  America.  The  order  of  the 
town  was  in  these  words  :  "  The  Sele61:  men  have  liberty  to  agree 
with  Joseph  Jynks,  for  Ingins  to  carry  water  in  case  of  fire, 
if  they  see  cause  so  to  doe."  This  order,  it  will  be  observed,  is 
permissive  rather  than  imperative  ;  and  there  has  been  a  question 
whether  they  did  contra6t  for  an  engine,  or  if  they  did,  whether 
the  contra6l  was  ever  fulfilled,  for  it  is  asserted  that  Boston  had 
no  engine  till  after  the  great  fire  in  November,  1676,  at  which 
time  some  forty-six  dwellings  were  destroyed,  besides  shops, 
warehouses,  and  "  a  meeting  house  of  considerable  bigness." 
An  opportune  rain  is  mentioned  as  having  done  much  towards 
arresting  the  flames,  and  some  buildings  were  blown  up.  But 
nothing  is  said  about  an  engine  being  there.  Pemberton  seems 
to  have  thought  that  as  late  as  1711  Boston  had  no  fire-engine. 
Yet,  on  the  9th  of  March,  1702,  the  town  voted  that  the  Sele6l- 
men  should  "  procure  two  water  engines  suitable  for  the  extin- 
guishing of  fire,  either  by  sending  for  them  to  England,  or  other- 
wise to  provide  them."  This  must  have  been  in  addition  to  one 
before  had,  for  it  was  on  the  same  day  voted  that  "  The  Sele6l- 
men  are  desired  to  get  the  Water  Engine  for  the  quenching 
of  fire  repaired,  as  also  the  house  for  keeping  the  same  in."  Now 
might  not  the  one  referred  to  as  needing  repairs  in  1702  have 
been  manufa6lured  by  Mr.  Jenks  on  the  order  of  1654.''  It 
would  have  been  an  old  "  machine,"  to  be  sure,  but  was  no 
doubt  constru6led  in  a  thorough  manner,  and  not  very  frequently 
called  into  use. 

Mr.  Jenks  was  ancestor  of  a  rather  remarkable  line.  Joseph 
Jenks,  Governor  of  Rhode  Island  from  1727  to  1732,  and  who 
was  not  only  applauded  for  his  executive  ability  but  renowned 
for  his  personal  appearance,  being  seven  feet  and  two  inches  tall, 
was  a  grandson  of  his.  The  late  Rev.  Dr.  William  Jenks,  an 
eminent  scholar  and  author,  was  likewise  a  lineal  descendant. 
See  Annals,  1662,  and  other  early  dates. 

Johnson,  Caleb.  Mr.  Johnson  is  well  entitled  to  be  called 
one  of  the  patriarchs  of  Nahant  —  Nahant,  that  charming  "little 
dukedom,"  which  so  warmed  the  imagination  of  Secretary  Ran- 


i6o  Biographical  Sketches,     yohnson. 

dolph,  some  two  hundred  years  ago,  and  inflamed  his  thirst  for 
its  possession.  He  was  born  in  that  se6lion  of  old  Lynn,  in 
December,  1778,  and  there  passed  his  whole  life,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  years,  which  he  spent  in  another  part  of  the  town,  as 
an  apprentice  at  the  trade  of  shoemaking ;  and  there  he  died,  in 
1867.  At  the  time  of  his  birth  there  were  but  three  houses  on 
Nahant,  and  no  other  house  was  ere6led  there,  till  he  had 
attained  the  age  of  twenty-two,  at  which  time  Capt.  Joseph  John- 
son built  a  large  house  on  the  western  part,  which  was  kept  as  a 
hotel,  and  which  was  destroyed  by  fire,  on  Sunday  morning, 
August  28,  1803. 

Years  passed  on,  and  Mr.  Johnson  remained  in  the  seclusion 
of  his  peninsular  home,  now  and  then,  during  the  warm  season, 
entertaining  individuals  or  parties  who  resorted  thither  for  health 
or  recreation,  occupying  himself  chiefly  in  farming  and  fishing, 
by  which  he  gained  an  ample  livelihood. 

By-and-by  Mr.  Tudor  and  other  gentlemen  of  taste  and  culture, 
appreciating  the  delights  of  the  place,  went  thither  for  summer 
sojourn,  and  a  refined  society  accumulated.  By  the  rise  in  the 
value  of  lands  Mr.  Johnson  became  comparatively  wealthy;  and 
being  surrounded  by  a  promising  family,  possessing  a  ^social 
disposition,  and  uncommonly  good  health,  he  had  many  sources 
of  enjoyment.  In  1791  he  married  Olive  Hartwell,  of  Charle- 
mont,  and  by  her  had  ten  children  —  seven  sons  and  three 
daughters.  His  sixth  son,  William  Frederic,  was  Mayor  of  Lynn 
in  1858,  and  a  Senator  in  1862  and  '63. 

Johnson,  Otis.  Mr.  Johnson  was  a  son  of  Enoch  Johnson, 
by  his  wife  Elizabeth  Newhall,  and  was  born  in  Lynn,  in  1802. 
At  the  early  age  of  sixteen  he  left  his  native  place  for  Petersburg, 
Va.,  where  he  remained  till  1820,  when  he  removed  to  Savannah, 
Ga.  ;  and  there,  by  diligence  and  enterprise  was  able,  by  middle 
life,  to  accumulate  a  moderate  fortune.  His  business  at  the 
south  was  successfully  continued  till  i860,  when  he  returned  to 
his  native  place  for  permanent  residence.  In  the  mean  time, 
however,  he  had  ere6led  a  fine  mansion  on  the  westerly  side 
of  Federal  street,  and  embellished  the  grounds  with  rare  flowers, 
and  other  tasteful  adornments.  And  every  season  he  busied 
himself  with  various  experiments  in  the  pleasant  and  instru6live 


a, 


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Biographical  Sketches,     yohnson.  i6i 

mysteries  of  horticulture.  He  did  much  to  foster  a  taste  for 
decorative  gardening  and  the  raising  of  choice  fruit ;  and  for  his 
highly  beneficial  influence  in  that  direftion  is  certainly  worthy 
of  being  long  remembered.  He  was  not  ambitious  of  the  ephem- 
eral distindlion  conferred  by  public  office,  though  he  held  posi- 
tions of  trust  and  responsibility  ;  among  them  that  of  director 
in  the  City  Bank,  from  the  time  of  its  establishment,  in  1854, 
till  his  death. 

In  1824  Mr.  Johnson  married,  at  Savannah,  Miss  Virginia, 
daughter  of  Capt.  R.  G.  Taylor,  and  by  her  had  ten  children, 
four  only  of  whom  survived  him.  He  met  death,  with  Christian 
serenity,  at  his  residence,  in  Federal  street,  on  the  17th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1870,  aged  68,  and  was  mourned  for  as  a  man  of  kindh^ 
sympathies,  unswerving  integrity,  and  a  good  citizen.  His  widow 
died  on  the  5  th  of.  February.  1881,  aged  ']^. 

Johnson,  Richard.  Mr.  Johnson  was  ancestor  of  the  large 
and  worthy  family  of  the  name  still  among  us.  His  homestead 
estate  was  at  the  east  end  of  the  Common,  and  included  the  site 
of  the  present  City  Hall,  together  with  a  number  of  acres  in  and 
about  Johnson  street,  a  thoroughfare  that  perpetuates  his  name. 
His  eldest  son,  Samuel,  who  was  born  in  1640,  and  died  in  1723, 
and  whose  gravestone,  though  in  a  dilapidated  condition,  still 
remains  in  the  Old  Burying  Ground,  was  known  as  Lieutenant, 
and  earlier  as  Cornet  Johnson.  He  and  his  brother  Daniel  served 
in  the  King  Philip  war,  1676,  and  both  joined  in  the  petition  for 
remuneration  presented  in  1685.  His  name  likewise  appears  as 
one  of  the  official  grantees  in  the  Indian  deed  of  Lynn,  executed 
in  1686.  The  house  which  he,  Samuel,  built  was  a  sort  of  semi- 
garrison,  to  which  the  neighbors  might  flee  in  case  of  any  savage 
demonstration,  and  will  be  remembered  by  many  now  living  as 
having  stood  where  the  present  brick  house  of  worship  of  the 
First  Methodist  Society  now  stands,  on  the  northeast  side  of  Park 
square. 

Nothing  more  than  a  glance  at  our  pages  of  Annals  will  be 
needed  to  show  that  the  Johnson  family  has  all  along  presented 
examples  of  high  chara6ter  and  great  usefulness.  The  autograph 
of  the  patriarchal  settler,  Richard,  appears  on  the  Armitage 
Petition,  page  106.     See  Annals,  1635  and  other  dates. 

II 


1 62       Biographical  Sketches.    Keene.    Keyser.    King. 

Johnson,  William  F.  —  seventh  Mayor  of  Lynn  —  born  on 
Nahant,  July  30,  18 19.  For  notice,  with  portrait,  see  Centennial 
Memorial.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  is  here  given. 


T^-i^u^^^TTK 


Keene,  Avis  —  a  preacher  in  the  Friends'  Meeting,  some 
sixty  years.     She  died  061.  13,  1867,  aged  87.     See  Annals,  1867. 

Keene,  George  W.  —  a  conspicuous  business  man  and  aftive 
in  public  enterprises.  He  died  March  27,  1874,  aged  58.  See 
Annals,  1874. 

Kertland,  Philip  —  the  first  shoemaker  here.  His  name 
appears  on  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106.     See  Annals,  1635. 

Keyser,  George  —  a  tanner  —  called  by  Mr.  Lewis  a  miller; 
perhaps  he  followed  both  occupations.  His  autograph  is  on  the 
Armitage  Petition,  page  106.  See  Annals,  1630.  It  was  in  Mr. 
Keyser's  tan-pit  that  a  child  of  Thomas  Newhall  was  drowned  in 
1665.  "We  Robart  Potter  and  John  Newhall:  understandin  by 
Too  Testimonies,"  say  a  couple  of  witnesses  in  the  case,  "  That 
Thomas  Newhalls  chilld  was  drounded  in  a  pett  which  pett  we 
heard  George  Keesar  saye  he  digged  :  farther  we  doe  Testifie 
that  George  Keser  had  a  Tanfatt  in  that  pett.  I  John  Newhall 
doe  furder  Testifie  that  George  Keyser  did  take  up  his  fatt  and 
left  the  pett  open."  This  tan-pit  was  on  the  south  side  of  Boston 
street,  about  where  the  tubular  wells  were  driven,  in  1880. 

King,  Daniel.  By  referring  to  our  Annals,  of  early  dates, 
various  fa6ls  may  be  found  concerning  the  King  family,  who 
were  located  chiefly  about  Swampscott,  though  they  owned  lands 
in  other  quarters.  King's  Beach  perpetuates  the  name.  They 
were  an  enterprising  family,  and  in  addition  to  farming  and 
fishing,  carried  on  a  varied  sort  of  commercial  business,  their 
traffic  extending  even  to  Barbadoes.  Papers  are  yet  to  be  found 
among  our  Essex  County  files,  indicating  to  some  extent  the 


Biographical  Sketches.     King.  163 

nature  and  course  of  their  trade.  In  a  memorandum  dated  May 
6,  1653,  Daniel  King,  jr.  says  :  "  I  liave  Rec.  of  my  cosen  William 
Guy  [of  London]  a  parcell  of  goods  amounting  to  the  valew  of 
fforty  ffive  pounds,  ffourteene  shillings  nine  pence  starling  money, 
which  goods  I  have  Rec  :  upon  the  account  of  Guy  as  an  Ad- 
venture by  him  promising  to  doe  my  outmost  indeuor  for  the 
sale  of  the  aforesaid  goods,  and  to  make  him  returns  by  Chris- 
mas  next,  if,"  &c.  But  such  "  ifs "  seem  to  have  intervened 
that  a  settlement  was  long  delayed,  and  the  matter  finally  got 
into  court.  Five  years  after,  that  is,  in  1658,  his  father,  Daniel 
King,  makes  the  following  statement:  "Boston,  this  14  of  Au- 
gust, 1658.  These  presents  Witnes  that  I,  Daniell  King  of  Lyn, 
Sener,  doe  aknowledge  that  Capt.  Jn°  Peirce,  Commander  of  the 
Ship  Exchang,  hath  bene  with  mee  and  demanded  of  mee  a  debt 
of  aboutt  forty  fiue  pounds  which  my  sone  Daniell  did  Receive 
in  goods  of  M""  Wm  Guy,  of  London,  haberdasher ;  and  my 
Answer  is  that  my  sone  Daniel  is  gone  to  burbados  and  hath 
carried  with  him  goods  in  order  to  the  making  the  Returne  much 
more  then  I  can  judge  will  Ballance  that  ace".  And  I  hope  either 
by  this  time  or  very  sudenly  hee  will  Returne  a  satisfa6lory  acc°." 
Two  years  after  the  foregoing,  namely,  in  1660,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
King,  mother  of  the  delinquent  Daniel,  jr.,  comes  to  the  rescue 
of  her  son's  credit  and  reputation  in  the  following  propitiatory 
epistle  to  her  nephew  Guy :  "  from  Linn,  in  New  England, 
Decemb''  the  28"\  1660  ....  After  Respeckts  presented  these 
earr  to  lett  you  under  stand  that  yours  wee  have  receued,  Return 
you  Manny  thanks  for  your  patiente  lines  But  being  much 
troubled  that  wee  yett  cannot  Answer  your  ends  According  to 
your  expecktations.  Many  ways  wee  have  tryed.  By  Barbudoes, 
By  Bills  of  Exchange,  &  By  getting  of  Bever,  for  you,  But  as  yet 
canno'  proceure  anny  of  them.  But  By  the  next  shepping  I 
hoape  wee  shall  find  out  some  way  or  other  whereby  you  shall 
haue  sattisfacktion  ;  my  sonn  Ralph  &  my  sonn  Blaenny  douth 
Intend  if  pleas  god  the  Hue  and  doe  well  to  com  for  England  ; 
soe  heaping  that  you  will  bee  pleased  to  Ad  one  mitt  of  patience 
unto  your  Aboundance  which  you  have  had  soe. 

"  Resting  and  Remaining  your  Ever  Loueing 
Ante  tell  Death, 

Elizabeth  King." 


164    Biographical  Sketches.  Laughton.  Leonard.  Lewis. 

The  "  sonn  Ralph  "  was  successful  in  his  business,  and  accu- 
mulated quite  a  property  for  those  times.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate,  taken  July  8,  1689,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Shepard,  William  Bas- 
sett,  and  John  Ballard,  gives  an  amount  of  ^^2365  4$-.  The 
inventory  of  the  estate  of  Daniel  King,  senior,  who  died  May  28, 
1672,  gives  an  amount  of  ;£i528  9^-. 

Ralph  King's  name  appears  first  among  the  grantees  in  the 
Indian  deed  of  Lynn. 

KxTTREDGE,  Dr.  Edward  A,  —  a  physician  and  humorous 
writer.  He  died  in  Newton,  Feb.  25,  1869,  aged  58.  See  An- 
nals, 1869. 

Laughton,  Thomas.  The  name  of  this  prominent  settler, 
like  the  names  of  many  others,  was  in  old  times  spelled  in  various 
ways.  He  was  ele6ted  Town  Clerk  in  1672,  and  remained  in 
the  office  several  years  ;  was  likewise  a  Seleftman  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  a  Representative  some  ten.  He  held  several  other 
responsible  offices  ;  was  a  farmer,  and  lived  on  Franklin  street. 
Laighton  street  took  its  name  from  him.  See  Annals,  1635,  and 
other  early  dates.  His  name  is  on  the  Armitage  Petition  ;  and 
a  fac-simile,  taken  from  a  signature  of  his  made  in  1668,  follows. 


Y^^nsi^  ^^tt^iW^ 


Leonard,  Henry  and  James.  These  brothers  were  conne6led 
with  the  ancient  iron  works  on  Saugus  river,  and  became  prom- 
inent in  the  iron  manufa6lure  of  New  England.    See  Annals,  1642. 

Lewis,  Alonzo.  A  pretty  full  biographical  sketch  of  Mr. 
Lewis  the  bard  and  historian,  may  be  found  in  the  1865  edition 
of  our  History  of  Lynn.  And  in  the  Centennial  Memorial  a 
shorter  sketch,  with  a  portrait,  may  be  found.  It  has  been 
stated  that  Mr.  Lewis,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  in  early  life,  left 
his  native  place  to  seek  his  fortune  elsewhere.  His  strong 
natural  attachment  to  his  home,  however,  always  prevailed,  and 
after  a  brief  absence  he  was  soon  again  among  us.  In  1832,  at 
the  age  of  38,  he  removed  with  the  determination,  undoubtedly, 
to  permanently  reside  abroad  ;  and  the  writer  well  remembers 


Biographical  Sketches.     Lewis.  165 

his  emotion  as  he  handed  him  the  following  touching  lines  for 
publication.  But  after  an  absence  of  a  few  months  we  were 
again  favored  by  his  presence  ;  and  it  is  not  recolle6led  that  he 
had,  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  any  disposition  to  withdraw 
from  the  attractive  scenes  of  his  native  place,  its  sunny  hills  and 
silvery  streams,  or  to  pitch  his  tent  on  any  spot  where  the  sound 
of  old  Ocean's  harp  could  not  be  heard.  We  have  always  been 
impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  fourth  stanza  was  founded  on 
a  singularly  false  apprehension,  arising  in  an  extremely  sensitive 
mind.  He  had  friends  ;  strong  and  loving  friends  ;  and  no  real 
foes  ;  though  there  were  those  who  could  not  avoid  sometimes 
expressing  annoyance  at  eccentricities  which  occasionally  could 
hardly  be  called  unobtrusive. 

THE  BARD'S  FAREWELL. 

Farewell  ye  streams,  ye  clear  loved  streams. 

Where  I  in  childhood  played. 
Upon  whose  marge  my  youthful  dreams 

Have  blest  the  peaceful  shade. 
No  more  to  hear  your  rippling  song 

Shall  I  delighted  bend, 
Nor  with  the  loved  your  banks  along 

In  twilight  converse  wend. 

Farewell  ye  hills  whose  dewy  brow 

These  early  feet  have  kisc 
While  silent  ocean  lay  below 

Half  hid  in  sleeping  mist. 
Your  sunny  tops  at  distance  far 

These  anxious  eyes  may  view, 
But  never  shall  the  morning  star 

Our  vanished  joys  renew. 

Ye  early  friends,  to  whom  this  heart 

Affe6tion  long  has  bound, 
The  day  has  come  when  we  must  part. 

And  share  affeftion's  wound. 
Your  hopes  o'er  other  joys  may  bloom, 

Your  hearts  with  friendship  swell ; 
But  mine  shall  give  no  other  room 

To  aught,  except  —  farewell  ! 

And  ye,  without  a  cause  my  foes, 

As  o'er  life's  waves  I  glide. 
May  haply  think  upon  the  woes 

With  which  ye  swelled  the  tide ; 


1 66 


Biographical  Sketches.     Lewis. 


The  injured  heart  that  would  have  died 

Your  shghtest  griefs  to  quell, 
Shall  breathe  from  out  its  bleeding  side 

Forgiveness  —  and  farewell. 

As  when  the  purple  ocean  flower 

From  off  its  rock  is  torn, 
Submissive  to  the  tempest's  power, 

By  which  'tis  onward  borne, 
So  shall  my  heart  sustain  the  storm 

Its  hopes  in  vain  would  quell, 
And  dying,  breathe  in  accents  warm, 

My  friends  —  my  home  —  farewell ! 

No  extended  notice  of  Mr.  Lewis  is  required  here,  as  the 
sketches  already  referred  to  will  furnish  sufficient  information  to 
meet  all  ordinary  inquiries.  But  no  more  appropriate  place  will 
be  found  for  the  introdu6tion  of  a  pi6torial  view  of  the  house  in 
which  he  was  born.  It  still  stands  on  the  north  side  of  Boston 
street,  nearly  opposite  Bridge.  The  writer  well  remembers  it  for 
at  least  sixty-five  years,  during  which  time  the  exterior  has  been  a 
little  modernized  about  the  door-way,  and  the  blinds  have  been 
added.  The  fence,  likewise,  is  somewhat  more  artistic  than  the 
one  Mr,  Lewis  built  with  his  own  hands,  some  forty  years  ago. 
We  seem  now  to  see  him  sitting  in  that  door-way,  just  as  he  sat 
three  score  years  since,  in  "  contemplative  mood,"  enjoying  the 
cool  of  a  summer  morning,  as  we  went  whistling  along  towards 
the  cow  pasture. 


BIRTHPLACE  OF  ALONZO  LEWIS. 


Mr.  Lewis  was  born  on  the  28th  of  August,  1794,  and  died  on 
the  2 1  St  of  January,  1861.     And  it  may  be  of  interest  here  to 


Biographical  Sketches.     Lightfoot.     Longley.         167 


reproduce  a  pi6lure  of  the  sea-side  cottage  in  which  he  died, 
though  it  appears  in  our  1865  edition. 


COTTAGE  IN   WHICH  MR.   LEWIS   DIED. 

Mr.  Lewis  was  a  fine  penman,  and  somewhat  ornate  in   his 
signature,  as  the  appended  fac-simile  shows. 


6r?-e^:2:/p, 


^-e-'^f'Z-^^^ 


Lewis,  Jacob  M.  —  the  fourteenth  Mayor  of  Lynn,  He  is  a 
native  of  the  place,  was  born  on  the  13th  of  06fober,  1823,  and 
served  in  the  mayoralty  four  terms.  P'or  biographical  sketch,  with 
portrait,  see  Centennial  Memorial,  A  fac-simile  of  his  signature 
is  here  given.  ^     ^       /^         9^       ' 


Lightfoot,  Francis  —  whose  autograph  appears  upon  the 
Armitage  Petition,  page  106,  was  a  man  of  small  means,  but 
respeftable  charafter.     He  died  in  1646.     See  Annals,  1635. 

Longley,  William.  This  was  no  doubt  the  same  individual 
who  figured  so  strangely  in  the  land  claim  spoken  of  in  our  An- 
nals, under  date  1638  ;  and  his  name  is  on  the  Armitage  Petition. 
The  Longleys  seem  to  have  been  often  at  war  with  their  neigh- 
bors  on    account  of  land    claims.     Thomas   Newhall,   so  often 


1 68  Biographical  Sketches.     Longley, 

alluded  to  as  the  first  white  person  born  in  Lynn,  and  who  from 
all  that  appears  was  far  from  being  of  a  quarrelsome  disposition, 
was  prosecuted  in  1663  for  assault  and  battery  committed  on  the 
wife  of  this  William  Longley  while  assisting  in  running  a  land 
line.  Among  other  evidence  in  the  case  was  the  following : 
"  The  testimony  of  Elizabeth  Newhall  y^  wife  of  John  Senier, 
and  Mary  Haven  whoe  say'"^  y*  Thomas  Newhall  Junier  was 
desiered  for  to  howld  a  poole  for  to  rone  a  line  between  Will 
Longley  and  John  Newhall :  y^  say^  Thomas  Newhall  stode  on 
y^  land  of  John  Newhalls  :  then  came  y^  two  dafters  of  y'^  say"* 
Longley  ;  namely  Mary  Longley  &  Anna  Longley  and  threue 
stons  at  y^  say"^  Thomas  Newhall  ;  afterwards  y*^  say'^  Anna  toke 
up  a  peace  of  a  pulle  &  stroke  y^  say'^  Newhall  severall  blows 
with  it,  &  presently  after  y^  wife  of  y^  say''  Longley  came  with 
a  broad  axe  in  hir  hand  and  cam  to  y*^  say''  Newhall  and  violently 
stroke  at  y^  say^  Newhall  with  y^  axe,  but  y*^  say''  Newhall  sliped 
aside  &  soe  y^  axe  mised  him  ;  o''wise  wee  cannot  but  thinke  but 
y*  hee  had  bine  much  wounded  if  not  killed :  then  presently  after 
y«  wife  of  Will  Longley  laid  howld  upone  y^  poole  with  hir  two 
dafters  to  pull  y^  poole  away  from  y^  sayd  Newhall :  but  y^  sayd 
Newhall  pulled  y^  poole  from  y'".  All  this  time  y^  sayd  Thomas 
Newhall  did  stand  upon  y^  land  of  John  Newhalls.  Taken  upon 
oath,  28  1""°  '63."  The  Longleys,  in  their  version,  of  course  gave 
the  affair  a  different  coloring.  They  testified  that  Newhall  was  on 
one  side  of  their  orchard  fence,  and  they  on  the  other  ;  that  they 
were  striving  to  get  the  pole  from  him,  all  having  hold  of  it ;  and 
one  of  the  daughters  goes  on  to  say,  "  wee  had  almost  pulled 
the  poole  out  of  his  hands  but  his  brother  John  came  and  helped 
him  and  pulled  it  from  us,  and  after  the  said  Newhall  had  got 
the  poole  again  he  strucke  my  mother  seueral  blows  with  the 
poole  so  that  one  of  her  hands  was  black  and  blue  severall  dayes 
after."  It  must  have  been  quite  a  spirited  scene  there  at  the 
orchard  fence  —  the  brothers  Thomas  and  John  in  fierce  combat 
with  the  sisters  Anna  and  Mary,  supported  by  their  belligerent 
mother.  And  attention  need  not  be  called  to  the  fa6l  made 
apparent  by  this  historical  scrap,  that  then  petty  neighborhood 
quarrels,  with  their  exaggerated  details  and  strife-engendering 
tendencies  furnished  the  same  sort  of  unwholesome  food  for  the 
inferior  courts  that  they  do  in  our  day. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Lovering.     Luinnms.        169 

LovERiNG,  Henry  B.  —  the  seventeenth  Mayor  of  Lynn  —  was 
born  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  April  8,  1841.  He  was  inaugurated 
January  3d,  1881,  and  so  satisfa6lorily  performed  the  duties 
of  the  office  that  in  December  he  was  eledled  for  a  second  term. 
He  has  been  for  nearly  the  whole  of  his  business  life  connedled 
in  some  way  with  the  manufa6lure  of  shoes.  And  that  he  is 
deemed  a  citizen  of  ability  and  trustworthiness  is  sufficiently 
apparent  from  the  responsible  positions  he  has  been  called  to  fill. 
On  the  25th  of  December,  1865,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Abbie  J.,  a  daughter  of  Harrison  Clifford,  and  has  four  children 
During  the  civil  war  he  served  in  the  Union  army  twenty-six 
months.  While  attached  to  the  Third  Massachusetts  Cavalry, 
under  Gen.  Sheridan,  he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  a  leg,  at  the 
battle  of  Winchester.     A  fac-simile  of  his  autograph  is  here  given. 


'^^;^-t/cA.'^^c^(7^ 


LuMMUS,  Dr.  Aaron  —  a  skillful  physician,  who  was  in  prac- 
tice here  nearly  fifty  years.  He  lived  on  Market  street,  and 
Tremont  street  was  opened  through  his  orchard.  He  died  Jan. 
5,  1831,  aged  74.     See  Annals,  1831. 

LuMMUS,  Aaron  —  familiarly  known  as  "  Judge  Lummus"  — 
was  a  son  of  Dr.  Aaron  just  named,  and  his  title  "  Judge,"  arose 
from  his  having  long  presided  as  a  police  magistrate.  He  was 
grave  and  deliberate  in  the  examination  of  causes,  but  not  over 
cautious  in  preventing  the  accumulation  of  small  cases.  His 
occupation  as  a  trial  justice  was  superseded  by  the  establishment 
of  the  Police  Court,  in  1849.  He  was  a  Methodist  minister  before 
assuming  the  judicial  office,  and  besides  preaching  was  at  times 
connedled  with  denominational  publications.  He  wrote  consid- 
erable, but  his  writings,  as  a  general  thing,  were  didaftic  and 
better  calculated  to  instru6l  than  interest.  As  a  preacher  he  was 
sound  in  do6lrine,  but  not  eminent  in  the  way  of  oratory.  We 
remember  hearing  his  brother,  Charles  F.,  who  will  come  next 


I/O      Biographical  Sketches.     Lummus.    Mansfield. 

under  notice,  in  his  quaint  way  remark :  "  Well,  there  's  my 
brother  Aaron  ;  he  is  a  good  exhorter,  and  that  's  about  all." 
He  died  March  i,  1859,  aged  62. 

Lummus,  Charles  F.  —  the  first  Lynn  printer.  He  died  April 
20,  1838,  aged  37.  For  biographical  sketch  see  1865  edition  of 
History  of  Lynn.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  follows. 


t^^^><-i^  A  jLc 


CC^CX.<^<^C<A^A^ 


Mansfield,  Andrew.  Mr.  Mansfield  was,  properly  speaking, 
our  first  Town  Clerk,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  office 
in  1660.  He  lived  on  Boston  street  in  the  seftion  still  known 
as  Mansfield's  end.  The  early  dates  of  our  Annals  contain 
many  references  to  him,  as  he  was  a6tive  and  conspicuous.  To 
him  we  are  indebted  for  the  preservation  of  a  record  of  the  land 
allotments  of  1638,  which  he  copied  from  "  out  of  the  Town  Book 
of  Records  of  Lynn,"  March  10,  1660.  And  the  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  here  given  is  taken  from  his  autograph  appended  to 
that  copy. 

Mansfield,  Dr.  Joseph.  This  individual,  for  many  years  a 
reputable  pra6lising  physician  in  Groton,  Mass.,  was  born  on 
the  17th  of  December,  1770,  in  the  old  Mansfield  house,  known 
also  as  the  Moulton  house,  on  the  north  side  of  Boston  street, 
opposite  the  foot  of  Marion,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  An- 
drew Mansfield,  the  first  Town  Clerk.  He  graduated  at  Harvard 
college  in  1801,  and  soon  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  medicine, 
the  pra6lice  of  which  he  pursued  as  the  business  of  his  life,  which 
terminated  on  the  23d  of  April,  183 1. 

Mr.  Mansfield  early  exhibited  poetic  talents  which  bid  fair  to 
place  his  name  among  the  foremost  of  American  bards.  But  he 
seems  not  to  have  been  ambitious  of  any  such  distinftion  and 
hence  did  not  cultivate  his  rare  gift.  On  the  8th  of  January, 
1800,  he  delivered  a  poem  in  the  chapel  of  Harvard  college,  for 
which  he  took  the  prize  of  eighty  dollars,  offered  by  the  faculty 


Biographical    Sketches.     Ma^isfield.  171 

for  the  best  metrical  produ6lion.  The  poem  is  entitled  Hope, 
and  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  lines  in  length.  In  reading 
it  one  is  reminded  of  Pope's  philosophical  style  ;  though  there 
are  passages  in  a  sentimental  vein,  and  some  in  a  playful.  And 
as  it  was  written  at  a  period  of  intense  political  agitation,  there 
are  highly  patriotic  strains.  The  first  and  last  stanzas,  with  a 
single  intervening  one  will  be  here  introduced. 

I  am  not  blest,  but  may  hereafter  be  : 
Who  knows  what  fortune  has  in  store  for  me.^ 
This  is  the  language  common  to  mankind. 
Nor  is  to  age,  or  rank,  or  sex,  confined. 
Hope  points  to  each  some  not  far  distant  day, 
When  every  blessing  will  his  wish  obey ; 
When  to  possess,  he  only  need  require  ; 
Fruition's  self  will  supersede  desire. 
»  «  *  *  * 

See  doting  parents  sedulously  trace 
The  opening  beauties  of  their  infant's  face  ; 
Commencing  physiognomists,  they  find 
A  world  of  wonders  in  its  features  joined ; 
The  mother  reads,  and  comments  as  she  reads ; 
My  child  was  born  for  more  than  mortal  deeds ; 
Then  Hope  steps  up  and  whispers  by  her  side, 
You  cradle  in  your  arms  creation's  pride. 

***** 
We  hope,  long  as  the  central  orb  attracts, 
Long  as  the  force  of  gravitation  a6ls. 
Long  as  the  East  is  opposite  the  West, 
Long  as  the  name  of  Washington  is  blest, 
Long  as  the  atheist  hopes  to  sleep  in  dust, 
Long  as  the  sons  of  anarchy  are  curst. 
Long  as  the  future  differs  from  the  past, — 
So  long,  Columbia,  will  thy  freedom  last. 
But  should  the  monster  Fa6lion  break  his  chains, 
And  fiery  demagogues  usurp  the  reins  — 
We  hope  that  future  Washingtons  may  rise. 
Or  rather  make  a  visit  from  the  skies. 

An  accident  which  happened  to  Mr.  Mansfield,  as  narrated 
by  Mr.  John  T.  Moulton,  was  so  singular  as  to  merit  notice 
here.  "  While  bathing  near  Chase's  mill  he  was  seized  with  the 
cramp  in  his  limbs  and  so  disabled  that  he  could  not  reach  the 
shore,  and  when  found  by  his  companions,  who  were  at  work, 
haying,  on  the  marsh  near  by,  was  supposed  to  be  drowned  ; 
but  by  the  application  of  the  proper  means  he  was  resuscitated 


172    Biographical  Sketches.   Marble.  Marshall.  Martin. 

and  taken  home,  but  did  not  regain  his  consciousness  for  some 
days.  Then,  awaking  from  sleep,  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  '  Mo- 
ther, where  have  I  been  .'' '  He  seemed  to  have  lost  what  know- 
ledge he  had  acquired  and  his  mind  was  like  that  of  a  child,  so 
that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  begin  and  learn  again  his  letters 
as  he  had  done  when  a  boy." 

Tt  may  not  be  inappropriate,  in  closing  this  notice,  to  remark 
that  a  poetic  vein  seems  to  have  run  in  this  family  connexion. 
Mr.  John  T.  Moulton,  who  delivered  the  much-applauded  poem 
at  the  reunion  of  the  High  School  graduates.  May  19,  1865,  is 
one  of  the  line  ;  and  Solomon  Moulton,  of  whom  a  biographical 
notice  with  specimens  of  his  writing  may  be  found  in  the  1865 
edition  of  our  History,  and  of  whose  poetic  talents  Mr.  Lewis 
frequently  spoke  in  high  terms,  was  an  uncle  of  John  T.  And 
this  latter  gentleman  has,  among  his  valuable  collection,  a  number 
of  poems,  in  manuscript,  of  Mr.  Mansfield,  the  subje61;  of  this 
notice,  which  it  is  hoped  may  at  some  future  time  appear  in  print. 

Marble,  Edwin  —  son  of  Hiram  who  in  1852  commenced, 
under  supposed  spiritual  supervision,  the  excavation  of  Dungeon 
Rock.  If  possible,  Edwin  was  more  firm  in  the  faith  than  his 
father.  He  died  at  the  Rock,  January  16,  1880,  aged  48.  See 
Annals,  1880. 

Marble,  Hiram  —  a  devoted  spiritualist,  who  in  1852,  under- 
took the  herculean  labor  of  excavating  Dungeon  Rock  in  search 
of  gold  and  jewels  supposed  to  have  been  secreted  there  by 
pirates,  in  1658.  He  died  at  the  Rock,  November  10,  1868, 
aged  65.     See  Annals,  1658  and  1868. 

Marshall,  Thomas  —  a  jolly  landlord  of  the  old  Anchor 
Tavern,  in  its  palmy  days  ;  and  otherwise  distinguished  among 
his  fellow-townsmen.  His  autograph  adorns  the  Armitage  Peti- 
tion, page  106.     See  Annals,  1635,  and  other  early  dates. 

Martin,  Dea.  George.  Deacon  Martin  died  on  the  17th 
of  December,  1868,  aged  68.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn  and 
deacon  of  the  First  Church  —  Trinitarian  Congregational  —  for 
the  long  space  of  forty-one  years,  and  superintendent  of  the 


Biographical  Sketches.    Merritf.    Moody.    Moore.     173 

Sunday  school  for  twenty-five  years.  His  death  was  by  heart 
disease,  and  occurred  without  warning,  during  a  prayer  meeting 
in  the  vestry  of  the  church,  on  South  Common  street,  corner  of 
Vine.  He  had  just  closed  a  fervent  prayer,  when  he  fell  and 
expired.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  kindly  feeling,  and  great 
integrity  of  chara6ler  ;  was  industrious  and  unobtrusive,  and  by 
his  example  turned  many  to  a  better  life.  He  was  zealously 
engaged  in  the  temperance  cause  and  other  reformatory  enter- 
prises of  the  day. 

Martin,  Josiah  —  an  eccentric  chara(fi:er,  much  given  to 
**pra6tical  jokes,"  so  called.  He  was  landlord  of  the  old  Anchor 
Tavern,  about  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution.  See  An- 
nals, 1782. 

Merritt,  Charles  —  for  many  years  a  Deputy  Sheriff  of  the 
county,  and  otherwise  conspicuous  in  public  office.  He  lived  on 
Western  avenue  near  the  jundtion  of  Summer  street,  and  died 
March  13,  1877,  aged  72.  See  Annals,  1877.  A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  here  given.  -^y  yy 

Montowampate  —  Indian  Sagamore  of  Lynn.  See  History 
of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  36. 

Moody,  Lady  Deborah  —  a  lady  of  great  worth,  wealth  and 
influence,  but  being  unsound  in  puritanical  do6lrine,  was  subjedted 
to  persecution  and  loss.     See  Annals,  1640. 

Moody,  True  —  a  faithful  sable  out-door  attendant  at  Lynn 
Hotel,  in  its  palmy  days  —  a  man  of  scrupulous  honesty  and  much 
favored  by  travellers.     He  died  June  17,  1855.    See  Annals,  1855. 

Moore,  Henry  —  for  more  than  twenty  years  principal  of  the 
Cobbet  grammar  school.  He  lived  on  Boston  street,  near  Con- 
gress, and  died  March  29,  1879,  aged  52.     See  Annals,  1879. 

MoTTEY,  Rev.  Joseph  —  minister  of  the  Lynnfield  Parish,  for 
many  years.     See  Annals,  182 1. 


174  Biographical  Sketches.     Moiilton. 

MouLTON,  Joseph.  Mr.  Moulton  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  and 
spent  most  of  his  life  among  us.  On  the  maternal  side  he  was  a 
descendant  from  Andrew  Mansfield,  the  first  Town  Clerk.  For 
many  years  he  owned  and  occupied  the  house  on  Boston  street, 
nearly  opposite  the  foot  of  Marion,  in  which  he  was  born  and  in 
which  he  died,  and  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  dwelling 
now  in  Lynn.  A  few  of  his  earlier  years  were  spent  in  Vermont 
and  western  New  York,  where  his  fortunes  were  varied  and  not 
always  free  from  hardship  and  discouragement.  But  industry, 
self-reliance,  and  perseverance,  carried  him  successfully  through. 
He  was  a  tanner  and  morocco-dresser  by  trade  and  on  his  return 
to  Lynn,  in  1837,  established  himself  in  the  latter  branch,  which 
he  diligently  pursued  till  it  finally  yielded  him  a  competency ; 
and  his  latter  years  were  passed  in  quietude,  and  far  above 
pecuniary  want,  though  he  was  not  exempt  from  a  share  of  phy- 
sical suffering,  as  cruel  asthma  long  held  its  grip  upon  him.  He 
was  an  accomplished  antiquary  ;  was  for  more  than  twenty  years 
a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Historic  and  Genealogical  Soci- 
ety and  furnished  some  interesting  papers  for  their  publications. 
In  viewing  the  memorials  and  contemplating  the  scenes  of  the 
past,  he  took  unwearied  delight.  With  English  history  and 
literature  he  was  more  than  commonly  familiar,  and  there  was 
scarcely  a  point  of  New  England  history  on  which  he  did  not 
possess  almost  exhaustive  knowledge.  On  matters  pertaining  to 
our  local  history  he  was  often  applied  to  for  information.  And 
he  possessed  one  trait  especially,  rare  as  it  is  valuable,  namely,  a 
readiness  to  admit  ignorance  when  it  existed,  and  an  equal  readi- 
ness to  resort  to  patient  investigation.  Often  have  we  heard 
him  say  to  an  inquirer,  "  Well,  well,  I  declare  to  you  I  do  not 
know ;  but  will  try  to  find  out ;  come  again."  His  reading, 
however,  was  by  no  means  confined  to  historical  works.  Many 
delighted  hours  he  spent  over  the  volumes  of  the  old  poets, 
essayists  and  novelists  ;  and  his  memory  was  so  retentive  that 
even  in  common  conversation,  he  frequently  quoted  passages  — 
sometimes  in  an  amusing,  always  in  a  pertinent  manner.  He 
had  a  library,  small  but  valuable,  embracing  a  few  rare  works, 
and  was  not  often  deterred  by  any  reasonable  expense  from 
gratifying  his  taste.  The  writer  remembers  one  day  meeting 
him  with  a  couple  of  small  volumes  in  his  hand.     "  There,"  said 


Biographical   Sketches.     Moiilton.     Mudge.  175 

he,  "  I  have  just  received  these  little  books  from  England,  and 
they  cost  me  thirty  dollars." 

He  was  an  intelligent  horticulturist,  and  took  much  pleasure 
in  his  garden,  especially  in  experimenting  with  fruit  trees,  vines, 
and  flowers,  producing  some  valuable  seedlings  and  some  novel 
and  interesting  results  by  inoculation. 

Soon  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  he  became  the 
possessor  of  a  bell  which  had  done  service  on  a  Louisiana  plan- 
tation, and  this  he  sometimes,  on  occasions  which  seemed  espe- 
cially to  call  for  the  expression  of  patriotic  feeling,  sent  clanging 
through  the  streets,  mounted  on  wheels.  He  afterwards  gave  it 
to  the  trustees  of  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  and  it  now  hangs  in  the 
tower  of  the  keeper's  house. 

Mr.  Moulton,  while  in  Vermont,  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Relief  Todd,  and  by  her  had  five  children,  to  wit,  Anne,  James 
T.,  Charles  H.,  John  T.,  and  Walter  S.  James  T.  and  John  T. 
inherit  in  a  marked  degree  their  father's  love  for  antiquarian 
studies.     He  died,  very  suddenly,  Feb.  10,  1873,  aged  75  years. 

Moulton,  Solomon  —  a  writer  of  prose  and  poetry,  of  much 
promise.  He  died  May  26,  1827,  aged  19.  For  a  biographical 
sketch,  with  specimens  of  his  writing,  see  1865  edition  of  the 
History  of  Lynn. 

MuDGE,  Benjamin.  Mr.  Mudge  was  born  in  Lynn,  Sept.  i, 
1786.  He  was  the  seventh  child  of  Enoch  Mudge,  who  was  the 
father  of  fourteen  children,  and  was  in  his  turn  the  father  of  eleven. 
Till  1 81 5  his  life  was  passed  in  Lynn,  excepting  that  for  a  short 
time  he  followed  the  seas  under  his  brother  Joseph.  In  1808  he 
married  Abigail  Rich,  who  became  the  mother  of  all  his  children. 
She  died  in  1847,  and  the  next  year  he  married  Miss  Ardra  Cobb, 
who,  surviving  him,  died  on  the  14th  of  December,  1880,  at  the 
age  of  92. 

In  181 5,  with  his  family,  Mr.  Mudge  emigrated  to  the  then 
"  far  west,"  settling  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  journey  thither 
was  at  that  time  long  and  wearisome.  At  Laurel  Hill,  he  had 
the  misfortune  to  have  his  leg  broken  by  being  thrown  from  the 
top  of  a  stage,  the  accident  causing  a  tedious  detention  of  some 
two  months,  and  making  a  serious  inroad  upon  his  limited  means. 


176  Biographical  Sketches.     Mudge. 

He  opened  a  shoe  store  at  Cincinnati,  which  he  continued  till 
1822,  when  he  gave  up  and  returned  to  Lynn,  in  anything  but  a 
satisfa6lory  condition,  pecuniarily.  Possessing  an  aftive  and 
enterprising  mind,  and  being  urged  on  by  the  requirements  of  a 
growing  family,  he  industriously  set  to  work,  and  for  some  years 
procured  a  livelihood  by  semi-literary  pursuits.  He  was  con- 
ne6led  with  Zion's  Herald,  the  Masonic  Mirror,  and  one  or  two 
other  newspapers,  appearing  at  one  time  as  editor  of  the  Lynn 
Mirror.  In  1 831,  he  commenced,  in  Lynn,  the  Essex  Democrat, 
a  weekly  paper,  warmly  spiced  with  politics  of  what  was  then 
known  as  the  Jacksonian  stamp.  This  he  continued  about  two 
years,  and  afterwards  derived  a  moderate  income  from  minor 
political  offices. 

In  1840  he  was  ele6led  a  Representative  to  the  General  Court. 
He  was  also  an  a6ling  justice  of  the  peace,  county  commissioner, 
and  overseer  of  the  poor.  He  was  likewise  postmaster  from  1843 
to  1849. 

In  1854  he  had  the  misfortune  to  fall  near  the  rail-road  track, 
in  Ipswich,  and  before  he  could  recover  himself  a  train  passed 
over  his  foot,  so  injuring  it  that  amputation  was  necessary. 
Thus  he  became  lamed  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

When  about  seventeen  years  of  age  he  conne6led  himself  with 
the  First  Methodist  Church,  of  which  his  father  and  mother  had 
long  been  members,  and  thence  pursued  an  exemplary  walk, 
through  his  long  life. 

He  was  Captain  of  the  Lynn  Artillery,  from  18 13  to  18 16,  and 
on  a  night  during  the  war  with  England,  on  a  sudden  alarm 
instantly  summoned  his  company  and  marched  towards  the 
quarter  supposed  to  be  in  danger.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  a 
false  alarm.  His  eldest  son,  Robert  R.,  born  in  1809,  graduated 
from  the  West  Point  Military  Academy,  in  1833,  and  in  1835 
was  ordered  to  Florida,  to  take  part  in  the  Seminole  war,  as 
Lieutenant  under  Major  Dade,  and  was  killed  at  Withlacoochie, 
together  with  the  whole  company  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen, 
with  the  exception  of  three. 

Personally,  Mr.  Mudge  was  tall,  well-formed,  and  eredl ;  a6live 
in  movement,  and  of  pleasant  countenance.  He  died  on  the  21st 
of  March,  1874,  at  the  age  of  ^y  years,  and  was  buried  from  the 
First  Methodist  meeting-house,  where  he  had  so  long  worshiped 


Biographical  Sketches.     Mudge.  177 

A  large  concourse  gathered  to  take  a  last  look  upon  the  remains 
of  one  who  in  his  various  social,  public,  and  business  relations 
had  maintained  a  high  charafter  for  integrity  and  fellow-feeling, 

Mudge,  Benjamin  F.  —  the  second  Mayor  of  Lynn.  He  died 
at  his  residence,  in  Manhattan,  Kansas,  November  21,  1879, 
aged  62  ;  and  so  great  was  the  respe6l  for  him,  that  the  citizens 
of  that  place  ere6led  a  monument  over  his  grave.  See  Annals, 
1879.  I'^  the  Centennial  Memorial,  is  a  biographical  sketch,  with 
a  portrait.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  is  hereto  appended. 


^^T^^^^c^c 


Mudge,  Rev.  Enoch  —  an  esteemed  minister  of  the  Metho- 
dist conne6lion,  and  a  writer  of  some  note.  "  Lynn,  a  Poem," 
published  in  pamphlet  form,  in  1826,  was  a  production  of  his. 
His  son  Enoch  Redington,  was  the  donor  of  the  beautiful  St. 
Stephen's  Memorial  Church,  ere6led  in  1881.  He  died  in  Lynn, 
April  2,  1850,  aged  74.  In  the  1865  edition  of  the  History 
of  Lynn  may  be  found  a  biographical  sketch. 

Mudge,  Enoch  Redington  —  son  of  the  Rev.  Enoch,  just 
noticed,  and  the  munificent  builder  of  St.  Stephen's  Memorial 
Church.    He  died  061.  i,  1881,  aged  69  years.    See  Annals,  1881. 

Mudge,  Ezra  —  a  well-known  citizen,  much  in  public  life. 
He  died  May  25,  1855,  aged  75.  In  the  1865  edition  of  the 
History  of  Lynn,  a  biographical  notice  may  be  found. 

Mudge,  Ezra  Warren.  In  the  Centennial  Memorial  appears 
a  biographical  notice  of  Mr.  Mudge,  with  a  portrait.  He  died  at 
his  home,  on  Neptune  street,  September  20,  1878,  aged  66  years. 
Few  persons  have  ever  left  the  busy  scenes  of  our  community 
more  respe6led  and  beloved  or  more  worthy  to  be  held  in  grate- 
ful remembrance.  His  father,  Hon.  Ezra  Mudge,  was  thrice 
married,  and  by  the  second  and  third  wives  each  had  seven 

12 


178  Biographical  Sketches.     Mudge. 

children,  the  first  wife  having  died  childless.  Ezra  Warren  was 
the  fourth  child  by  the  second  wife.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Lynn,  and  in  1828  entered  the  dry  goods  store 
of  Chase  and  Huse,  near  the  west  end  of  the  Common.  In  this 
store,  first  as  clerk  and  then  as  partner,  he  remained  till  1849,  at 
which  time  the  Laighton  Bank  —  afterwards  the  Central  Na- 
tional—  was  established,  and  he  was  elefled  cashier,  and  contin- 
ued to  fill  the  office  in  a  most  satisfadlory  manner  till  his  last 
sickness  rendered  it  necessar}'  to  resign.  He  held  various 
responsible  positions  under  the  old  town  government  ;  was  a 
Seleftman,  Town  Treasurer,  and  member  of  the  School  Com- 
mittee. And  after  the  City  Charter  was  adopted  he  was  for  six 
years  City  Treasurer.  In  1856  he  was  inaugurated  as  the  sixth 
Mayor,  and  administered  the  office  two  years,  his  administration 
being  marked  by  prudence,  integrity,  and  impartiality.  During 
the  civil  war  he  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  Aldermen,  and 
with  that  body  his  opinions  deservedly  had  great  weight. 

He  had  a  taste  for  literature  and  took  great  interest  in  all 
educational  enterprises,  was  identified  with  the  Public  Library, 
from  its  foundation,  and  at  the  time  of  his  decease  was  president 
of  the  board  of  trustees.  He  had  a  well  seledled  library,  em- 
bracing, at  the  time  of  his  death,  some  three  thousand  volumes  ; 
and  many  an  hour  of  pleasant  retirement  did  he  spend  with  those 
refreshing  though  silent  companions. 

In  early  manhood  he  married  Miss  Eliza  R,  Bray,  of  Salem, 
and  became  the  father  of  nine  children,  four  of  whom  survived 
him.  His  burial  took  place  from  the  Second  Universalist  meet- 
ing-house, where  he  had  for  many  years  been  a  worshiper,  and 
was  attended  by  a  large  concourse  of  friends  and  citizens.  His 
autograph,  so  familiar  from  its  appearance  on  the  bills  of  the 
bank  with  which  he  was  so  long  conne6led,  is  here  represented. 


Biographical  Sketches.    Mulliken.   Mwiroe.  Neal.     179 

MuLLiKEN,  Samuel  —  third  postmaster  of  Lynn.  He  died 
November  25,  1847,  aged  Z6.     See  Annals,   1847. 

MuNROE,  Col.  Timothy.  Colonel  Munroe  was  not  of  a  tem- 
perament to  pass  noiselessly  through  the  world  ;  yet  though  for 
many  years  conspicuous  as  an  ardent  politician,  and  otherwise 
a6live  in  local  affairs,  he  was  most  widely  known  by  his  military 
record.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  and  died  at  his  residence  in 
Franklin  street,  on  the  25th  of  May,  1873,  at  the  age  of  72  years. 

He  was  for  a  number  of  years  Captain  of  the  Lynn  Light 
Infantry,  of  which  company  he  became  a  member  as  early  as 
1 81 7  —  a  company  which  has  ever  maintained  a  high  chara6ler 
for  discipline.  He  was  likewise  commissioned  as  Colonel  of  the 
Eighth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  and  was  in  command  at  the 
time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war ;  at  which  stirring 
period  his  regiment  was  hastily  summoned  and  departed  for  the 
scene  of  conflict,  joining  in  the  perilous  march  through  Baltimore. 
He  however  continued  in  active  service  but  a  few  months. 

In  his  religious  views  he  was  a  steadfast  adherent  of  the  Uni- 
tarian faith  ;  was  one  of  the  early  members  of  the  society  here  ; 
and  from  their  meeting-house  his  remains  were  followed  to  their 
last  resting  place  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery. 

In  early  manhood  he  married  Miss  Rachel  Lakeman,  and 
became  the  father  of  five  children. 

Munroe  street,  which  was  laid  out  through  his  father's  land 
perpetuates  the  family  name, 

Nahanton  —  an  Indian  "wise  man."  See  History  of  Lynn, 
1865  edition,  page  41. 

Nanapashemet  —  an  Indian  Sachem  of  extensive  jurisdi6lion. 
See  1865  edition  of  History  of  Lynn,  page  34. 

Neal,  Peter  M.  —  the  tenth  Mayor  of  Lynn.  For  notice, 
with  portrait,  see  Centennial  Memorial.  A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  hereto  appended. 


i8o  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

Newhall,  Anthony.     See  "  Newhall,  Thomas  and  Anthony." 

Newhall,  Asa  T.,  of  Lynnfield  —  an  intelligent  farmer,  con- 
siderably in  public  life.  He  died  December  i8,  1850,  aged  71. 
A  biographical  notice  appears  in  the  1865  edition  of  the  History 
of  Lynn. 

Newhall,  Benjamin  F.,  of  Saugus  —  a  man  aftiv^e  in  business, 
public  spirited,  and  full  of  industrial  resources,  intelligent,  and 
a  frequent  writer  for  the  public  journals.  He  died  06lober  13, 
1863,  aged  61.  For  biographical  notice  see  History  of  Lynn, 
1865  edition. 

Newhall,  Francis  S.  —  was  largely  engaged  in  the  shoe  and 
leather  trade,  a  Senator,  and  first  president  of  Laighton  —  after- 
wards the  Central  National  —  Bank.  He  died  Feb.  2,  1858,  aged 
62.     See  notice  in  1865  edition  of  History  of  Lynn. 

Newhall,  Henry.  Mr.  Newhall  was  a  lineal  descendant 
from  Thomas,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  his  father  was  Win- 
throp  Newhall,  who  for  many  years  successfully  prosecuted  the 
trade  of  tanner,  his  vats  being  on  the  west  side  of  Market  street, 
near  where  the  Eastern  Rail-road  now  crosses.  The  subje6l 
of  this  sketch,  in  company  with  his  brother  Francis  S.,  just 
named,  followed  his  father  in  the  occupation,  and  added  to  it  the 
manufafture  of  morocco.  This  was  really  the  business  of  his 
life,  though  other  pursuits  to  some  extent  engaged  his  attention, 
and  he  retired  from  a6five  business  with  ample  means  but  failing 
health.  His  habits  were  rather  retiring  than  bustling,  though 
he  did  not  shrink  from  the  performance  of  important  public 
duties.  He  filled  various  municipal  offices,  was  a  bank  dire61:or, 
and  on  the  death  of  his  brother  Francis  succeeded  to  the  office 
of  president  of  the  Central  National  Bank,  which  he  continued 
to  fill  till  a  few  years  before  his  death.  His  opportunities  for 
education  were  limited,  but  he  was  fond  of  reading,  and  soon 
began  to  store  his  mind  with  information  on  almost  every  current 
topic,  by  no  means  overlooking  the  literature  of  the  imagination. 
He  was  much  esteemed  for  his  gentlemanly  manners  and  in 
rather  a  marked  degree  received  the  social  deference  so  often 


Biographical   Sketches.     NewJialL  i8i 

accorded  to  wealth.  The  Unitarian  society,  which  was  incorpo- 
rated in  1822,  counted  him  among  its  early  members,  and  to  the 
end  of  his  life  he  continued  in  the  faith.  He  died  July  15.  1878, 
aged  81  years  ;  and  his  remains  were  interred  on  Linden  avenue 
in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  by  the  side  of  those  of  his  brother 
Francis,  in  accordance  with  the  expressed  desire  of  both,  who, 
having  through  life  enjoyed  uninterrupted  brotherly  attachment, 
wished  to  lie  near  each  other  in  their  final  rest. 

Newhall,  Dr.  Horatio.  Dr.  Newhall  was  born  in  Lynn,  on 
the  28th  of  August,  1798,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  one 
of  the  first  settlers.  His  mother  was  Lucy,  a  daughter  of  Col. 
John  Mansfield,  who  was  commander  of  the  Lynn  regiment  at 
the  time  the  Revolution  broke  out. 

He  fitted  for  college,  at  Lynn  Academy,  partly  under  the 
tuition  of  Samuel  Newell,  who,  with  his  wife  Harriet,  afterwards 
became  so  famous  for  their  missionary  labors  in  India,  and  partly 
under  Solomon  S.  Whipple,  subsequently  a  lawyer  in  Salem. 
He  entered  Harvard  College  on  his  birthday,  the  28th  of  Au- 
gust, 181 3  ;  and  in  his  class  were  some  whose  names  will  long 
remain  conspicuous  among  the  famous  of  our  land  ;  among  them 
George  Bancroft  the  historian,  Caleb  Gushing  the  jurist  and 
statesman.  Rev.  Dr.  Tyng  the  divine,  and  Judge  Emerson.  He 
graduated  with  honor,  and  soon  applied  himself  to  the  study 
of  medicine,  taking  his  degree  in  1821.  There  had  at  that  time 
been  an  emigration  of  a  number  of  families  from  Boston  and  its 
vicinity  to  the  then  new  State  of  Illinois  ;  and  being  in  want  of  a 
reliable  physician,  they  applied  to  that  distinguished  professor 
of  the  theory  and  pra6lice  of  medicine.  Dr.  James  Jackson,  for 
the  sele6lion  of  one  ;  and  he  cordially  recommended  Dr.  Newhall, 
who  very  soon  after,  with  his  letters  of  introduction,  commenced 
the  long  and  toilsome  journey  towards  the  western  border  of 
civilization,  animated  by  youthful  ardor  and  manly  determination. 

He  reached  the  then  little  French  village  of  St.  Louis  in  just 
one  month,  after  travelling  day  and  night.  His  place  of  destina- 
tion lay  some  fifty  miles  beyond,  and  how  to  reach  it  was  a 
serious  question,  there  being  no  public  conveyance,  and  hardly  a 
possibility  of  securing  a  wheeled  carriage  of  any  kind.  However, 
he  finally  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  French  pony  and  a  sort  of 


1 82  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

light  wagon.  And  thus  equipped  he  set  forth  with  the  phthisical 
apprentice  of  a  friendly  shoemaker  as  a  guide  and  companion, 
and  by  whom  the  travelling  equipage  was  to  be  returned.  Dur- 
ing the  first  day  they  got  lost  on  the  prairie,  but  at  night  reached 
a  log  hut,  where  they  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  propri- 
etor, whose  name  was  Mather,  and  who  proved  to  be  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Cotton  Mather  the  celebrated  New  England  divine. 

The  next  day  they  continued  their  journey  over  prairie  lands 
in  splendid  floral  garniture,  it  being  the  eighth  of  June.  They 
also  saw  herds  of  deer  roaming  in  every  dire6lion.  The  young 
doctor  was  so  inspired  by  the  romance  and  beauty  of  the  scene 
that  he  shouted  and  capered  till  his  poor  companion  was  seized 
with  amazement  and  fears  that  he  had  become  suddenly  distra6ted. 
In  the  afternoon  he  arrived  at  the  border  of  the  prairie,  where 
were  a  few  settlers.  There  he  dismissed  his  companion  with 
good  advice  as  to  the  treatment  of  the  oppressive  disease  under 
which  he  was  suffering,  and  began  to  administer  to  his  first 
regular  patient. 

At  Greenville,  in  Bond  county,  he  immediately  opened  an 
office,  and  soon  found  himself  in  a  pra6lice  extending  over  all 
the  adjacent  counties.  He  was  in  no  sense  given  to  idleness  ; 
and  besides  being  very  industrious  in  his  profession,  was  a6live 
in  public  affairs,  working  diligently  to  promote  the  prosperity 
of  his  new  home.  In  benevolent  enterprises  he  took  an  unwea- 
ried interest ;  and  it  may  safely  be  said  that  to  him  are  attribu- 
table the  foundation  and  success  of  some  of  the  most  worthy 
institutions  that  have  proved  such  blessings  to  the  great  West. 
And  he  was  a  man  who  never  despised  small  beginnings.  In 
March,'  1825,  the  first  Sunday  school  in  Bond  county,  and  the 
second  in  the  state,  was  established  through  his  efforts,  and  of  it 
he  was  the  first  superintendent.  It  was  at  about  that  period, 
too,  that  he,  together  with  a  few  other  kindred  spirits,  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  Bible  Society,  and  one  in  aid  of  Domestic 
Missions. 

In  1827  Dr.  Newhall  removed  from  Greenville  into  the  midst 
of  the  Indian  country  to  the  mining  region.  He  arrived  at  the 
site  of  Galena,  on  the  31st  of  March,  having  occupied  twenty-six 
days  in  the  tedious  and  dangerous  journey  from  St.  Louis.  For 
a  short  time  he  turned  his  attention   to  mining;  but  in    1828 


Biographical   Sketches.     Newhall.  183 

resumed  his  medical  pra6lice,  as  more  congenial.  In  1830,  he 
was  stationed  at  Fort  Winnebago,  as  an  a6ling  surgeon  in  the 
United  States  army.  But  in  1832  he  returned  to  Galena  and 
again  went  into  praftice  there,  and  in  the  Black  Hawk  war, 
had  sole  control  of  a  general  hospital.  The  Asiatic  cholera, 
during  its  devastating  march  over  the  country,  a  couple  of  years 
later,  proved  a  great  scourge  to  this  region  ;  and  when  General 
Scott  removed  his  head  quarters  from  Galena  to  Rock  Island, 
he  wrote  to  Dr.  Newhall,  beseeching  him  to  come  to  the  latter 
place  and  exercise  his  skill  in  the  endeavor  to  arrest  the  progress 
of  the  pestilence.  It  fortunately  happened  that  he  had  made  the 
disease  a  matter  of  careful  investigation,  and  was  able  to  render 
very  efficient  service. 

During  the  civil  war  he  did  his  utmost  for  the  Union  cause, 
though  his  advanced  age  was  an  impediment  to  his  a6live  parti- 
cipation in  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  field.  In  1861  he  was 
appointed  physician  of  the  United  States  Marine  Hospital,  at 
Galena,  and  continued  to  perform  the  duties  till  the  institution 
was  closed,  in  1866. 

The  first  newspaper  published  north  of  the  Illinois  river  —  the 
"Miners'  Journal,"  commenced  in  1827  —  was  edited  by  him. 
And  the  Galena  Advertiser,  first  issued  in  1829,  was  likewise 
under  his  editorial  charge. 

Having  secured  a  comfortable  home  in  the  West,  he  became 
solicitous  to  share  the  blessing  with  a  conjugal  companion,  and 
accordingly,  in  1830,  married  Elizabeth  P.  P.  Bates,  a  daughter 
of  Moses  Bates,  of  Richmond,  Va.  She  was  a  superior  woman  ; 
of  large  and  cultivated  mind  and  amiable  disposition.  The  union 
was  a  most  happy  one,  and  continued  till  1848,  when  death 
deprived  him  of  her  endeared  society.  They  had  three  sons 
and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  survived  their  father. 

The  religious  element  was  marked  in  the  charafter  of  Dr. 
Newhall  from  an  early  age.  In  1835  he  joined  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Galena  ;  some  eight  years  afterwards  was 
chosen  an  elder,  and  continued  in  the  office  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life. 

From  his  extensive  correspondence  many  papers  of  exceeding 
interest  might  be  sele6led.  But  we  are  compelled  to  be  chary 
of  our  space.     The  following  letter  to  an  old  college  class-mate, 


184  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

however,  which  it  will  be  observed  was  written  but  a  few  years 

before  his  death,   contains  such  points  of  interest  as  will  fully 

justify  its  insertion  : 

Galena,  July  8th,  1863. 

Col.  James   W.  Seaver,  Boston: 

Dear  Sir  :  Your  note  inviting  me  to  meet  the  surviving  members  of  the 
Class  of  1817,  at  the  Revere  House,  on  the  14th  inst.  is  received.  Absence  from 
home  must  be  my  excuse  for  not  answering  it  at  an  earlier  day.  I  could  not  realize 
that  a  half  century  had  elapsed  since  we  entered  college,  until  I  reflected  upon  the 
vast  stride  our  country  has  made  in  its  wealth  and  population  during  that  period. 
Since  I  l^ecame  a  resident  of  Illinois  the  population  of  the  State  has  increased  from 
fifty  thousand  to  two  millions  and  a  half.  Then,  I  was  on  the  frontier  of  civilization  ; 
now,  my  oldest  son  is  a  citizen  of  a  State,  two  thousand  miles  farther  West.  It  is 
only  twenty-five  years  since  I  hired  a  Sioux  guide  to  condu6l  me  to  Carver's  cave  in 
a  wilderness  where  now  is  the  beautiful  city  of  St.  Paul,  the  capital  of  Minnesota. 
Thirty-three  years  ago,  when  I  was  stationed  as  surgeon  at  Fort  Winnebago,  I 
passed  through  an  Indian  encampment  of  twenty-five  hundred  Winnebagoes  on  the 
Four  Lakes,  where  now  is  Madison,  the  seat  of  government  of  Wisconsin ;  and  I 
have  just  returned  from  commencement  at  Beloit  college,  of  which  institution  I  am  a 
trustee.  Thirty  years  since  it  was  the  hunting  ground  of  the  Winnebagoes.  Less 
than  forty  years  have  passed  since  this  city  (Galena)  was  the  favorite  dwelling  place 
of  the  Sacks  and  Foxes,  and  to-day  we  are  celebrating  the  brilliant  victories  of  our 
townsman.  General  Grant,  the  great  Captain  of  the  age. 

If  I  have  been  the  means  of  aiding  in  moulding  public  opinion  in  this  part  of  our 
beloved  country,  I  owe  it,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  education  I  received  at  old  Har- 
vard. I  should  rejoice  to  meet  my  old  class-mates  on  the  14th  inst.,  but  cannot  leave 
home  at  that  time  on  account  of  the  situation  of  my  family.  Give  my  fraternal  regards 
to  those  who  may  be  present  and  believe  me  to  be 

Truly  and  Sincerely  Yours,  H.  Newhall. 

Dr.  Newhall  died  on  Monday,  September  19,  1870.  "Three 
days  after,"  says  the  record  of  an  affe6lionate  friend,  "  we  were 
present  at  the  funeral  which  took  place  from  the  family  residence. 
There  were  many,  very  many  stricken  hearts  on  that  solemn 
occasion  overshadowed  with  the  gloom  of  the  death  presence. 
A  large  concourse  of  relatives,  friends,  neighbors  and  acquaint- 
ances assembled  to  express  their  sympathy  with  the  living  and 
their  reverence  for  the  dead.  The  room  and  coffin  were  profusely 
decorated  with  choicest  flowers  tastefully  arranged.  It  was 
fitting  ;  he  loved  them  in  life  ;  and  in  the  fulness  of  life  above, 
he  no  doubt  was  enjoying  the  sweetness  and  beauty  of  those 
that  bloom  fadelessly  in  paradise  —  the  garden  of  blessedness. 

"  When  at  four  o'clock  on  the  22d  of  September  we  affeflion- 
ately  and  sorrowfully  committed  his  remains  to  the  earth  —  dust 
to  its  kindred  dust  —  we  could  not  but  feel,  that,  for  his  body, 
worn  out  in  the  service  of  duty,  there  was  to  be  a  glorious  awak- 


Biographical   Sketches.     Newhall.  185 

ening  and  renewal  by  the  Master,  who  said,  '  I  am  the  resurrec- 
tion and  the  hfe  ; '  and  there  was  deep  solace  in  the  Voice  from 
heaven,  saying  write,  *  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord.' 
"  Encircled  in  a  garland  of  delicate  flowers  and  green  foliage 
was  a  miniature  sheaf  of  ripe  wheat  lying  upon  the  coffin  which 
contained  the  inanimate  form  of  the  departed  saint.  The  design 
was  appropriate  and  significant :  'Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave 
in  full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season.'  " 

Newhall,  Isaac,  of  Mall  street.  By  referring  to  page  540 
of  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn,  the  reader  will  find  a 
notice  of  this  individual,  who  was  a  native  of  the  place,  and  estab- 
lished something  of  a  literary  reputation  by  his  letters  on  Junius. 
It  is  hardly  probable  that  he  anticipated  the  rank  his  little  work 
was  destined  to  attain  so  soon  after  he  had  ceased  to  be  moved 
by  anything  the  world  could  say  of  it  or  of  him.  The  writer 
well  remembers  that  when  the  volume  appeared,  in  183 1,  it  was 
somewhat  talked  about,  but  probably  not  many  copies  were  circu- 
lated in  Lynn.  The  truth  is,  it  was  upon  a  subje6l  concerning 
which  very  few  in  our  community  knew  much,  and  to  most 
of  those  few  it  had  little  interest.  It  was  to  the  learned  class 
of  statesmen  and  politicians,  rather  than  to  the  mere  partisan, 
that  it  commended  itself  But  yet  a  sort  of  romantic  interest 
attended  its  advent,  it  being  so  unaccountable  that  a  man  of  Mr. 
Newhall's  hum-drum  vocation,  could,  while  pursuing  his  daily 
routine,  be  pondering  on  themes  that  agitated  the  minds  of  a 
Burke  and  an  Eldon. 

In  an  address  delivered  by  Hon.  Charles  W.  Upham,  of  Salem, 
before  the  Essex  Institute,  in  1868,  appeared  a  warm  recognition 
of  the  success  of  Mr.  Newhall,  and  interwoven  were  graphic  allu- 
sions to  his  personal  traits,  habits,  and  pursuits.  Said  the 
speaker :  "  Behind  the  counter  of  a  retail  store  on  Essex  street, 
[Salem]  was  to  be  found  a  person  pursuing  the  daily  routine  of  a 
most  unpretentious  life,  apparently  thinking  of  nothing  else  than 
the  accommodation  of  customers,  in  the  exhibition  of  his  stock, 
and  measuring  out,  by  the  yard,  linen,  cotton,  ribbons,  and  tape. 
He  was  apparently  beyond  middle  life,  of  a  mild  and  courteous 
demeanor,  quiet,  and  of  few  words.  There  was,  it  is  true,  in  his 
mien  and  manners,  a  combined   gentleness    and   dignity,  that 


1 86  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

marked  him  as  differing  from  the  common  run  of  men,  but 
nothing  to  indicate  the  tenor  of  his  pecuhar  mental  occupations 
The  leisure  hours  of  that  man  were  employed  in  patient,  minute, 
comprehensive  and  far-reaching  researches  in  books,  quarterly 
journals,  magazines  and  political  documents,  guided  by  a  culti- 
vated taste,  keen  discrimination,  familiarity  with  the  best  models 
of  style  and  thought,  and  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  bio- 
graphical details  of  all  the  prominent  public  chara6lers  of  Eng- 
land, and  their  personal,  family,  and  party  relations  to  each 
other,  that  enabled  him  to  grapple  with  a  subject  that  was 
engrossing  and  defying  the  ingenuity  of  them  all,  and  thereby  to 
place  himself  as  a  peer  among  the  literati  of  his  day." 

Mr.  Newhall  was  not  in  any  marked  degree  successful  in  life, 
as  most  people  estimate  success  ;  that  is,  he  did  not  become 
rich  ;  but  he  lived  in  comfort,  maintained  a  respeftable  position, 
and  died  in  peace,  at  the  old  family  mansion,  on  Mall  street,  in 
which  he  was  born,  and  which  has  since  been  removed  to  give 
place  for  the  fine  modern  dwelling  of  Mr.  John  T.  Moulton.  He 
was  an  elder  brother  of  Dr.  Horatio  Newhall,  a  sketch  of  whom 
has  just  been  given,  was  born  on  24th  of  August,  1782,  and  died 
on  the  6th  of  July,  1858. 

Newhall,  Isaac,  of  Marianna  street.  Mr,  Newhall  died  at 
his  picturesque  residence  near  the  eastern  border  of  the  city,  on 
the  22d  of  February,  1879,  ^^  the  age  of  65  years.  He  was  a 
native  of  Lynn,  and  a  direct  descendant  from  one  of  the  first 
settlers  ;  was  a  man  of  great  decision  of  chara6ler  and  uncom- 
promising integrity  ;  aftive  in  business  and  public  enterprises  ; 
not  easily  diverted  from  any  course  deliberately  adopted,  nor 
over-patient  with  those  who  undertook  to  thwart  his  plans  ;  was 
faithful  to  friends,  and  no  time-server  or  selfish  cringer.  He 
loved  to  retire  from  the  unsatisfying  turmoil  of  business  to  his 
rural  estate  upon  our  eastern  highlands,  where  he  possessed 
many  acres  which  he  had  brought  from  a  rough  and  unproduc- 
tive condition  into  rich  bearing,  there  to  enjoy  the  society  of  his 
afife61:ionate  family,  and  social  intercourse  with  friends  and  neigh- 
bors. He  was  not  much  in  public  office,  though  he  served  as 
an  Alderman,  in  185  i,  and  again  in  1873.  In  his  religious  views 
he  was  liberal.     Though  of  Quaker  parentage,  he  in  early  life 


Biographical  Sketches.     Ncwhall.  187 

became  attached  to  the  Unitarian  denomination.  But  in  after 
years,  with  his  family,  he  worshiped  with  the  Methodists.  By  his 
own  request,  however,  his  remains  were  buried  from  the  Friends' 
meeting-house,  and  the  funeral  services  were  attended  by  a  large 
number  of  business  men,  as  well  as  relatives  and  friends.  For 
several  years  he  suffered  greatly  from  severe  neuralgic  attacks, 
which  he  bore  with  great  fortitude,  and  for  the  relief  of  which  he 
submitted  to  dangerous  surgical  operations.  He  made  very  free 
use  of  tobacco,  insomuch  that  at  one  period  of  his  life  he  was 
commonly  spoken  of  as  always  appearing  with  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth.  Whether  this  habit  occasioned  or  aggravated  his  terrible 
disease,  was  never,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows,  determined. 

Mr.  Newhall  was  twice  married,  and  left  a  widow  and  several 
children.  An  elder  brother  of  his  —  John  Bailey  Newhall  —  was 
possessed  of  an  observing  mind  and  roving  disposition,  and  had 
he  lived  no  doubt  would  have  made  a  mark  in  the  literary  world. 
It  is  not  derogatory  to  compare  him  to  Bayard  Taylor.  They 
were  about  equally  educated,  and  commenced  their  travels  a-foot 
not  far  from  the  same  time  ;  and  their  letters  were  similarly 
interesting  and  graphic  in  style.  As  it  was,  though  he  died 
young  he  gave  some  attra6live  le6lures  about  the  Indians  with 
whom  he  fraternized  during  his  rovings  beyond  the  western  fron- 
tier ;  and  his  epistolary  accounts  of  pedestrian  rambles  in  Europe 
were  much  read. 

Newhall,  Jacob  —  landlord  of  the  famous  tavern  on  the 
Boston  road,  in  revolutionary  times.  He  was  born  May  3,  1740, 
and  died  June  18,  18 16.  For  biographical  notice  see  History 
of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  494. 

Newhall,  James  R.  —  was  born  on  Christmas  day,  1809,  in 
the  old  Richard  Haven  house,  afterwards  known  as  the  Hart 
house,  which  stood  on  Boston  street,  corner  of  North  Federal, 
till  1876,  when,  at  the  dawn  of  the  great  Centennial  Day,  July  4, 
it  "  ascended  up  "  in  a  patriotic  blaze.  For  biographical  notice 
and  portrait  see  Centennial  Memorial. 

Newhall,  Joseph,  mentioned  on  page  484  of  the  1865  edition 
of  the  History  of  Lynn,  was  a  man  of  considerable  note  in  the 


1 88  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

town,  and  much  respefted.  In  1696,  the  town  granted  him 
liberty  to  "  sett  up  a  pewe  in  y^  east  end  of  y^  meeting  house 
Between  y^  east  dowre  &  the  stares  ;  prouided  itt  does  nott 
prejudice  the  going  up  y^  stares  into  y^  gallery,  &  maintains  so 
much  of  the  glas  window  as  is  against  s^  pewe."  He  was  a 
member  of  the  General  Court,  and  died  while  in  office.  And  in 
this  connexion  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  pay  of  Representa- 
tives and  indeed  of  all  public  officers,  was  at  a  rate  that  did  not 
encourage  that  degree  of  hankering  for  official  position  so  lament- 
ably prevalent  in  our  time.  Upon  the  records  is  found  this 
item  of  account  with  Mr.  Newhall :  "  Dec.  1706  to  his  serueing  a 
Representative  at  the  generall  court  in  the  year  1705,  untill  his 
death,  y6  days  at  3s  per  day — 11  ;^  8^  o''."  True,  the  value 
of  money  was  at  that  time  very  different  from  what  it  is  at  present ; 
but  the  difference  was  not  sufficient  to  make  office  the  matter 
of  anxious  seeking  that  it  now  is. 

Mr.  Newhall  perished  while  on  his  way  from  Boston  to  Lynn, 
in  a  great  snow  storm,  in  January,  1705-6.  His  grave-stone  is 
in  the  Old  Burying  Ground,  near  the  western  wall ;  it  gives  his 
age  as  47,  and  his  title  as  Ensign.  He  had  eleven  children,  all 
of  whom  survived  him. 

Newhall,  Josiah  —  a  prominent  and  public  spirited  citizen  — 
born  January  17,  1790,  died  November  7,  1842.  His  residence 
was  at  the  east  end  of  the  Common.  For  biographical  notice 
see  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  533. 

Newhall,  Gen.  Josiah.  General  Newhall  was  born  in  Lynn, 
in  the  distrift  now  constituting  Lynnfield,  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1794,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  from  Thomas,  the  early  settler. 
His  long  and  aftive  life  closed  on  the  26th  of  December,  1879. 
During  several  years  of  his  earlier  manhood  he  followed  the 
profession  of  teaching  but  as  time  advanced  retired  to  the  more 
congenial  employment  of  agriculture.  He  however  retained  his 
love  for  study,  and  became  quite  proficient  in  some  branches,  his 
attainments  bearing  his  fame  even  to  the  other  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic, where,  in  1876,  he  received  the  honor  of  being  elected  a 
fellow  of  the  Royal  Historical  Society  of  Great  Britain.  He 
served  in  the  war  of  181 2,  and  was  afterwards  much  interested 


Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall.  189 

in  military  affairs,  attaining  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General  in  the 
Massachusetts  Militia.  When  General  Lafayette  reviewed  the 
troops  on  Boston  Common,  during  his  visit  to  America,  in  1824, 
he  was  present  in  command  of  a  regiment. 

Lynnfield  was  incorporated  as  a  separate  town,  in  18 14,  and 
General  Newhall  was  her  first  Representative  in  the  General 
Court.  He  served  also  in  1826  and  '27,  and  again  in  1848.  In 
the  administration  of  President  Jackson,  he  held  an  office  in  the 
Boston  Custom  House.  He  also  at  different  times  filled  impor- 
tant local  ofBces.  But  his  most  congenial  and  satisfying  resort 
was  the  honorable  occupation  of  farmer  and  horticulturist.  There, 
the  results  of  his  experiments  and  suggestions  were  often  of  much 
value.  He  was  kind-hearted,  genial  in  manners,  and  ever  ready 
to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  deserving  who  needed  assistance. 
The  last  time  the  writer  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  him,  was 
on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  the  Two  Hundred  and 
Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Settlement  of  Lynn,  June  17,  1879. 
He  seemed  greatly  to  enjoy  the  proceedings,  and  as  the  open 
;arriage  in  which  he  sat  moved  along  in  the  procession,  on  that 
pleasant  forenoon,  was  in  fine  spirits  and  highly  interested  in 
observing  the  many  evidences  of  thrift  and  improvement. 

His  wife  was  Rachel  C,  a  daughter  of  Timothy  Bancroft,  and 
they  were  the  parents  c^  nine  children,  only  two  of  whom  sur- 
vived him. 

Newhall,  Thomas  and  Anthony.  These  two  individuals, 
who  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Lynn,  were  brothers  ;  and 
the  first  white  child  born  within  our  borders  was  a  son  of  the 
former,  who,  at  his  baptism,  which  took  place  immediately  after 
the  arrival  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bachelor,  received  the  name  of  Thomas, 
a  name  which  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite  in  the  family  as  far 
back  as  it  can  be  traced.  In  the  1865  edition  of  our  History 
of  Lynn  may  be  found  such  genealogical  references  as  v'U  enable 
many  of  the  line  living  at  this  day,  to  trace  their  kinshij,.  Dr. 
James  A,  Emmerton  and  Henry  F.  Waters,  Esq.,  of  Salerh,  * 
few  years  since,  in  their  researches  in  the  old  country,  found  in 
the  English  archieves,  the  will  of  Thomas  Newhall,  dated  in 
1498,  and  proved  April  22,  1499 ;  and  from  that  testator,  it  is 
concluded,  the  Newhalls   of  Lynn  descended.     The  will  is  in 


190  Biographical  Sketches.     NewJiall. 

Latin,  and  names  the  testator's  brother  Hugo,  his  daughters 
Margaret  and  EHzabeth,  and  other  females,  who  may  have  been 
married  daughters.  It  also  names  William,  Stephen,  and  Thomas 
Newhall.  To  the  latter,  one  cow  is  bequeathed.  The  executors 
nominated  are,  "  Thomas  Newhall  and  Emmota  my  wife,"  That 
the  testator  was  a  devout  churchman  is  indicated  by  this  bequest : 
"  My  soul  to  God,  the  blessed  Mary  and  all  the  saints,  and  my 
body  to  be  buried  in  the  chapel  of  Witton."  And  to  the  "  Abbat 
and  Convent  of  the  Blessed  Mary  of  Vale  Royal,  5  marcas,"  are 
given.  If  the  worthy  old  yeoman  could  have  anticipated  the 
extent  to  which  his  New  England  descendants  would  have 
swerved  from  the  faith  he  cherished,  it  is  feared  that  he  would 
not  have  left  the  world  in  a  particularly  serene  state  of  mind. 

Oliver  Cromwell  seems  to  have  been  the  owner  of  a  manor 
called  Newhall ;  and  indeed  the  writer  remembers  to  have  seen 
the  names  "  Croumwell "  and  Newhall  in  some  way  conne6led 
far  back  in  English  history.  But  the  Proteftor,  finding  the 
possession  yielding  but  little,  or  perhaps  being  pushed  for  means, 
in  1656  expressed  a  desire  to  dispose  of  the  estate.  The  following 
letter  to  his  son-in-law,  a  photographic  copy  of  which  is  in  the 

Mint  Museum,  at  Philadelphia,  is  upon  the  subjedt :  "  Sonn , 

you  knowe  there  hath  often  beene  a  desire  to  sell  New-hall, 
because  in  these  4  years  past  it  hath  yielded  very  little  or  noe 
profifit  att  all,  nor  ever  did  I  heare  you  ever  liked  it  for  a  seate. 
It  seems  there  may  be  a  chapman  had  whoe  will  give  18.000/.  it 
shall  be  either  layed  out  where  you  shall  desire,  at  M""  Wallop's 
or  elsewhere  and  the  monie  put  into  Spoffer's  hands  in  trust  to 
be  soe  disposed  or  I  shall  settle  Burleigh  w'^h  yields  me  1260  to 
1300Z.  besides  the  woods.  Waterhouse  will  give  you  further 
information.     I  rest  y*"  lovinge  fifather  Oliver,  P. 

"  My  love  to  y""  father  and  mother  and  your  dear  wife.  May 
29,  1656." 

There  has  been  a  question  whether  the  names  Newhall  and 
Newell  were  originally  identical.  Many  have  contended  that 
they  were  not ;  yet  there  is  a  will  of  Thomas  New^//,  proved  24 
September,  1529,  which  mentions  the  testator's  sister  Margaret 
New/W/.  Must  not  this  same  Thomas  Newell  have  been  the 
son  and  executor  of  the  Thomas  Newhall  before  named,  for  we  see 
that  he  had  a  sister  Margaret  ?     If  the  names  were  originally 


Biographical  Sketches.     NewJiall.  191 

separate,  it  is  quite  certain  that  they  were  sometimes  used  inter- 
changeably, perhaps  through  ignorance,  for  it  is  not  too  much  to 
admit  that  in  the  course  of  generations  there  may  have  been 
even  in  that  brilliant  family,  an  individual  or  two  who  might 
ignorantly  toy  with  the  name.  In  "  Traditions  of  Edinburgh," 
by  Robert  Chambers,  it  is  mentioned  that  Sir  Walter  Pringle 
was  raised  to  the  bench  in  171 8,  and  called  "  Lord  Newhall." 

In  Copp's  Hill  burying  ground,  Boston,  is  a  grave-stone  bear- 
ing this  inscription : 

Here  lies  buried  the  Body  of 

Nathaniel  Newel 

Aged  73  years  deed  Nov  ye  29  1731 

And  upon  another  stone,  in  the  same  burial  place  is  this : 

Here  lyes  Buried  the  Body  of 

Nathanael  Newell  Junr 

aged  26  years  10  mo  &  15  days  deed  April  ye 

24th  171 7 

Now  these  persons  were,  without  doubt,  a  grandson  and  great- 
grandson  of  Anthony  Newhall,  who  so  early  settled  in  Lynn. 
Nathaniel  the  elder,  who  died  in  1731  was  born  in  Lynn,  in 
1658,  and  his  son  was  born  here,  June  11,  1690;  these  dates 
appear  on  the  records,  and  clearly  identify  the  persons,  as  the 
family  is  known  to  have  removed  to  Boston,  in  or  about  1691, 
and  occupied  a  house  in  the  vicinity  of  Copp's  Hill.  Yet  it  will 
be  noticed  that  on  the  grave-stone  of  the  elder,  the  name  is 
spelled  Newel,  and  on  that  of  the  younger  Newell.  And,  more- 
over, the  christian  names  are  spelled  differently  ;  all  which  may 
be  attributable  to  the  ignorance  or  carelessness  of  the  stone-cutter, 
in  conne6lion  with  the  fa6l  that  even  then  not  much  importance 
was  attached  to  uniformity  in  spelling.  It  will  be  observed  that 
Nathaniel,  jr.  died  young,  but  he  left  a  widow.  His  father  was  a 
ship-carpenter,  and  evidently  a  man  of  means  and  good  chara6ter. 
In  our  notice  of  Nathaniel  Handford,  page  142,  for  whom  he 
received  his  baptismal  name,  there  appears  evidence  that  great 
confidence  was  reposed  in  him. 

Having  alluded  to  the  favor  with  which  the  baptismal  name 
Thomas  has  been  regarded  in  the  family  as  far  back  as  the  line 
can  readily  be  traced  it  may  be  mentioned  that  among  those 
now  bearing  it  is  Thomas  A.  Newhall,  of  Philadelphia,  a  native 
of  Salem,  Mass.,  a  son  of  Gilbert,  and  grandson  of  Col.  Ezra, 


192  Biographical  Sketches.     Newhall. 

of  the  Revolution.  He  went  to  Philadelphia,  in  1830,  a  lad 
of  sixteen  years,  having  previously  served  for  a  while  in  the  office 
of  Dana,  Fenno  and  Bolles,  money  and  note  brokers,  in  State 
street,  Boston.  In  due  time,  by  assiduity  and  business  capacity, 
he  became  prosperously  established  in  the  home  of  his  adoption, 
and  yet  remains  there,  enjoying  the  fruit  of  his  industry  and  the 
respe6l  of  an  appreciative  community.  He  is  father  of  one 
daughter  and  the  patriarchal  number  of  ten  sons,  several  of  the 
latter  being  established  in  honorable  business  around  him.  Capt. 
Walter  S.  Newhall,  a  commander  in  the  Third  Regiment  of  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer  Cavalry,  during  the  civil  war,  and  who  lost 
his  life  in  the  service,  was  one  of  his  sons,  and  one  of  six  brothers 
who  were  in  the  army  at  the  same  time,  receiving  high  commen- 
dation for  the  spirit  and  discretion  with  which  they  discharged 
their  perilous  duties.  Lieut.  Col.  Frederic  C.  Newhall,  another 
son,  was  Assistant  Adjutant  General  on  the  staff  of  Lieutenant 
General  Sheridan,  and  served  during  the  entire  war,  from  the  fall 
of  1 86 1,  when  he  entered  the  army  as  a  Lieutenant,  till  mustered 
out,  at  New  Orleans,  in  1865.  This  latter  is  the  author  of  the 
volume  entitled  "  With  General  Sheridan  in  Lee's  Last  Cam- 
paign "  —  a  work  forming  one  of  the  most  valuable  contributions 
to  the  literature  of  the  war.  His  graphic  description  of  the  expi- 
ring throes  of  the  Confederate  army  are  almost  pathetic.  During 
Lee's  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  six  of  the  brothers  were  at  the 
front ;  and  the  youngest,  Charles,  being  at  the  Agricultural 
School,  in  Centre  county,  wrote  to  his  father  that  as  there  was 
not  time  to  wait  for  an  answer  to  his  request  for  permission  to 
"join  the  other  boys,"  he  should  go,  " knowing  it  would  be  all 
right."  Several  of  the  brothers  are  well-known  as  among  the 
best  American  players  of  the  good  old  English  game  of  cricket, 
which  is  still  held  in  high  esteem  in  and  about  Philadelphia  and 
New  York. 

In  view  of  the  fafts  stated  regarding  the  family  of  Mr.  Thomas 
A.  Newhall,  and  others  of  the  surname  spoken  of  in  this  volume, 
it  will  be  seen  that  some  of  the  transplanted  Newhalls  of  the  old 
Lynn  stock,  have  so  conduced  as  to  refleft  enduring  honor  on 
the  name,  however  delinquent  we  of  the  indigenous  branches 
have  remained. 

For  many  years  our  Philadelphia  friend  has  taken  much  inter- 


Biographical  Sketches.     N^whall.  193 

est  in  our  family  history,  and  for  what  he  has  done  deserves  the 
thanks  of  the  entire  brotherhood.  He  was,  as  just  remarked,  a 
grandson  of  Col.  Ezra  of  the  Revolution  —  the  latter  being  a 
great-great-grandson  of  Thomas,  the  first  of  European  parentage 
born  here.  He,  Col.  Ezra,  was  Captain  of  the  Lynn  Minute 
Men  at  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  but  in  consequence  of 
the  delay  of  Col.  Pickering  from  Salem  was  not  present  at  the 
battle  of  Lexington.  Nor  was  he  present  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  as  he  was  attached  to  Col.  Mansfield's  regiment,  as  senior 
Captain.  Col.  Mansfield,  it  will  be  borne  in  mind,  was  cashiered 
for  "  remisness  and  backwardness  in  the  execution  of  duty,"  on 
that  memorable  occasion.  Col.  Ezra,  in  earlier  life,  was  an 
officer  in  the  French  war,  under  Col.  Ruggles.  Subsequent 
to  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  he  was  Major,  then  Lieutenant 
Colonel  in  Colonel  Putnam's  Fifth  Massachusetts  Regiment, 
and  so  continued  to  the  end  of  the  war.  He  was  twice  married. 
His  first  wife  was  Sarah  Fuller,  of  Lynn,  and  his  second,  Elsie 
Breed,  also  of  Lynn.  After  the  establishment  of  peace,  in  1783, 
he  removed  to  Salem,  purchased  an  estate  on  Essex  street,  and 
there  resided  till  his  death,  which  took  place  on  Fast  day,  April 
5,  1798,  at  the  age  of  66  years.  He  has  always  been  spoken 
of  as  a  brave  and  prudent  officer,  and  a  worthy  and  beloved 
citizen.  There  is  abundant  evidence  that  while  in  the  army  he 
was  very  popular  with  his  companions  in  arms.  While  the 
regiment  was  encamped  at  Winter  Hill,  some  dissatisfaflion  was 
manifested  concerning  the  rank  of  the  captains  and  other  officers, 
as  they  stood  on  the  brigade  major's  books.  The  captains  there- 
fore, on  the  27th  of  August,  1775,  held  a  meeting  and  voted  to 
"  settle  the  rank  of  officers  by  lot,  and  abide  thereby  ; "  at  the 
same  time  voting  that  Captain  Ezra  Newhall  should  rank  as  first 
Captain. 

It  may  be  mentioned  in  this  connexion,  that  Mr.  Charles  L. 
Newhall,  of  Southbridge,  Mass.,  a  few  years  ago  undertook  the 
preparation  of  a  genealogy  of  the  Newhall  family  and  colledled 
a  considerable  amount  of  material,  but  from  some  cause  was  led 
to  abandon  his  enterprise,  and  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Newhall,  of  whom 
we  have  been  speaking,  took  measures  to  have  the  materials 
thus  colle6ted  placed  in  the  hands  of  Henry  F.  Waters,  Esq. 
of  Salem,  who  diligently  followed  up  the  researches,  corredling 

13 


194  Biographical  Sketches.     Nye.     Oliver. 

errors  and  adding  new  matter,  till  a  very  satisfadlory  result  has 
been  reached ,  and  the  whole  will  undoubtedly  soon  appear  in 
print,  some  portions  having  been  already  given  to  the  public 
among  the  historical  papers  of  the  Essex  Institute. 

The  will  of  Anthony  Newhall,  who  died  in  Lynn,  January  31 
1656,   mentions  his   son  John  and  grandchildren   Richard  and 
Elizabeth   Hood.     His  house  was  on  the  east  side  of  Federal 
street. 

Nye,  Dr.  James  M.  —  a  reputable  physician  and  scientist. 
He  died  April  21,  1872,  aged  53  years.     See  Annals,  1872. 

Oliver,  Stephen.  Mr.  Oliver  died  at  his  residence  on  Blos- 
som street,  March  15,  1875,  at  the  mature  age  of  89  years.  He 
passed  a  busy  and  useful  life,  and  under  the  old  town  government 
was  much  in  public  office.  Being  an  a6live  politician,  and  full 
of  interest  in  passing  events,  and  withal  a  ready  and  racy  writer 
on  current  local  affairs,  he  exercised  considerable  influence. 
During  the  earlier  years  of  the  anti-masonic  excitement  he  was  a 
stalwart  advocate  of  the  cause  ;  was  one  of  the  most  pungent 
writers  in  the  old  Lynn  Record  ;  and  was  a  delegate  to  the 
national  anti-masonic  convention,  at  Baltimore,  which  in  1831 
nominated  William  Wirt  for  the  presidency.  His  zeal  in  the 
cause  seemed  sometimes  to  outrun  his  discretion,  till  it  rather 
suddenly  waned,  and  he  became  a  warm  adherent  of  the  whig 
party.  He  strongly  advocated  the  re-chartering  of  the  United 
States  Bank.  In  1836  and  1840  he  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Senate  ;  and  for  a  short  time,  under  President  Harrison,  post- 
master. Being  diligent  and  on  the  whole  —  though  he  had 
"  ups  and  downs"  —  successful  in  business,  he  provided  well  for 
a  large  family,  engaging  at  different  periods  in  various  occupa- 
tions, but  chiefly  in  the  retail  dry  goods  and  shoe-manufafturing 
lines. 

In  one  of  so  much  versatility  it  could  hardly  be  expedled  that 
literary  aspirations  would  remain  altogether  dormant ;  and  hence, 
in  addition  to  his  political  newspaper  writings,  which,  by  the 
way,  were  usually  timely  and  telling,  he  sometimes  appeared  as 
an  essayist  or  le6lurer ;  and  in  all  his  produ6lions  there  was  a 
vein  of  good  sense  and  good  nature  that  secured  attention.     In 


Biographical   Sketches.     Parker.     Parsons.  195 

verse,  too,  he  occasionally  beamed  forth,  one  or  two  of  his  pro- 
du6lions  eliciting  favorable  comment ;  but  generally  his  efforts 
at  versification  did  not  extend  beyond  the  newspaper  advertise- 
ment, where,  being  stimulated  by  the  exigencies  of  trade,  he  was 
quite  felicitous,  entirely  out-doing  a  neighbor  of  his,  who,  being 
a  sort  of  rival  in  business,  thought  it  meet  to  attempt  to  rival 
him  in  the  poetic  arena. 

Under  some  circumstances,  there  can  be  hardly  a  doubt,  Mr. 
Oliver  would  have  become  conspicuous  in  a  field  far  more  exten- 
sive than  the  county  of  his  birth.  He  was  ready  with  tongue  as 
well  as  pen  ;  not  lacking  in  assurance,  shrewd  and  discriminating, 
though  perhaps  a  little  too  uncompromising  as  a  partisan. 

In  person  he  possessed  some  noticeable  features,  was  well-pro- 
portioned, and  bore  the  marks  of  a  firm  and  healthy  constitution. 
His  residence  was  for  a  long  time  on  South  Common  street,  the 
site  being  that  afterwards  occupied  by  the  mansion  of  his  son 
Stephen,  and  later  still  by  St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church. 

He  was  of  Quaker  parentage,  but  on  his  marriage,  which  was 
"  out  of  the  meeting,"  was  disowned,  though  he  continued  to 
worship  with  the  society.  Six  sons  and  one  daughter,  of  his  nine 
children,  survived  him. 

Parker,  Thomas  —  lineal  ancestor  of  Rev.  Theodore  Parker. 
His  autograph  is  among  those  appended  to  the  Armitage  Petition, 
page  106.     He  removed  to  Reading.     See  Annals,  1635. 

Parsons,  Rev.  Obadiah.  Mr.  Parsons  was  minister  of  the 
First  Parish  some  eight  years,  having  been  installed  February  4, 
1785.  He  preached  in  the  house  known  as  the  Old  Tunnel ;  and 
it  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  parsonage  was  erefted, 
though  there  were  "  parsonage  lands,"  so  called,  before  that 
period.  The  parsonage  occupied  the  site  now  forming  the  south- 
east corner  of  South  Common  and  Commercial  streets,  the  last 
named  street  having  been  opened  in  1832,  at  which  time  the 
house  was  removed  to  its  present  location,  at  the  south-west 
corner  of  Commercial  and  Neptune  streets. 

Mr.  Parsons  was  a  man  given  to  such  irregularities  and  indul- 
gencies,  as  was  charged,  that  the  spiritual  condition  of  the  parish 
during  his  pastorate,  was  at  a  low  ebb.     Grave  suspicions  were 


196     Biographical  Sketches.    Patch.    Perkins.    Perley. 

afloat,  touching  his  moral  chara6ler,  even  before  his  settlement, 
and  while  here,  some  things  occurred  calculated  rather  to  confirm 
than  remove  the  suspicions.  He  was,  at  least,  a  man  of  such 
convivial  habits  as  in  our  day  would  be  likely  to  exclude  one 
from  the  ministry  ;  but  then  it  was  a  time  when  such  habits 
were  indulged  in  by  preachers  as  well  as  people.  And  an  apt 
illustration  of  the  prevailing  custom  occurred  at  the  time  of  the 
ereftion  of  the  parsonage,  just  referred  to,  a  work  in  which  Mr. 
I^arsons  took  a  lively  interest.  The  story  is,  that  a  number 
of  the  parishioners  of  small  means  were  surprisingly  liberal  in 
the  amounts  they  subscribed  in  furtherance  of  the  good  object, 
though  it  was  understood  that  their  offerings  would  be  received 
in  the  form  of  labor  upon  the  premises,  at  a  fixed  price  per  day. 
The  work  went  bravely  on.  The  contributors  were  highly 
applauded  for  their  generosity,  and  the  building  committee 
praised  for  their  liberality  in  arranging  with  a  neighboring  retailer 
for  a  supply  of  "  refreshments,"  as  they  might  be  called  for. 
Cheerily  and  rapidly  the  work  progressed  to  completion.  And 
then  —  when  the  accounts  were  brought  together,  the  contra6ling 
parties  were  astonished  to  find  that  the  retailer's  score  for  rum 
alone  exceeded  in  amount  all  that  class  of  subscriptions  ;  to  say 
nothing  of  the  other  "  refreshments  "  in  the  shape  of  crackers  and 
salt-fish.     See  Annals,  1792. 

Patch,  Charles  F.  Mr.  Patch  died  on  the  24th  of  January, 
1873,  after  a  sickness  of  three  days,  aged  27  years,  leaving  a 
widow  but  no  children.  He  was  a  son  of  Joshua  Patch,  who 
was  long  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  here.  The  deceased 
was  a  young  man  of  much  promise,  had  been  a  member  of  the 
Common  Council,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  on  the  second 
year  of  his  service  as  City  Treasurer.  He  was  a  freemason,  and 
several  lodges  of  the  order  attended  his  burial. 

Perkins,  Dr.  John,  of  Lynnfield  —  an  eminent  physician  and 
learned  writer.     He  died  in   1780,  aged  85.     See  Annals,  1780. 

Perley,  Dr.  Daniel  —  a  skillful  physician  and  much  esteemed 
citizen.  He  died  at  his  residence  on  Breed  street,  January 
31,  1881,  aged  yj.     See  Annals,  1881. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Phillips.     Pierson.  197 

Phillips,  George  W.,  of  Saugus,  a  brother  of  the  "silver 
tongued  "  orator,  Wendell  Phillips,  and  a  lawyer  of  high  standing. 
He  died  July  30,  1880,  aged  70.     See  Annals,  1880. 

Pierson,  Rev.  Abraham  —  a  profound  scholar,  and  father 
of  the  first  president  of  Yale  College.  By  reference  to  our  An- 
nals under  date  1640,  it  will  be  seen  that  some  doubt  was  enter- 
tained as  to  the  place  of  residence  of  this  individual.  But  it 
appears  by  both  Savage  and  Sprague  that  he  must  have  lived 
here  ;  or  at  least  that  his  son  Abraham,  the  college  president, 
was  born  here  in  1641,  The  chair  in  which  president  Pierson 
was  accustomed  to  sit  is  still  preserved  among  the  college  treas- 
ures, and  a  picture  of  it  may  be  seen  in  Harper's  Magazine, 
volume  17,  page  2.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  church  composed 
of  Long  Island  emigrants,  was  formed  at  Lynn,  in  November, 
1640,  and  that  Mr.  Pierson,  the  elder,  was  at  the  same  time 
installed  as  its  minister,  the  celebrated  Hugh  Peters  taking  part 
in  the  exercises.  He  appears  to  have  come  from  Yorkshire,  to 
have  graduated  at  the  University  of  Cambridge,  and  to  have 
preached  for  a  time  in  England  under  Episcopal  ordination.  He 
graduated  in  1632  and  arrived  in  New  England  in  1639,  ^"^1 
hence  could  have  been  here  but  a  short  time  before  leaving  for 
Long  Island.  That  he  was  rigidly  set,  like  many  others  of  the 
early  New  England  clergy,  in  his  views  touching  ecclesiastical 
authority,  maintaining  that  none  but  church  members  should  be 
allowed  to  vote  or  hold  civil  office,  is  quite  apparent.  And  it  is 
likewise  apparent  that  he  was  regarded  by  his  cotemporaries  as 
a  man  of  high  charafter  and  great  usefulness.  Mather  says, 
"  wherever  he  came,  he  shone  ; "  adding  that  "  he  left  behind 
the  chara6ler  of  a  pious  and  prudent  man  and  a  true  child  of 
Abraham  now  lodged  in  Abraham's  bosom."  No  doubt  his 
influence  was  large  in  establishing  some  of  the  stalwart  principles 
that  long  prevailed  in  the  eastern  section  of  Long  Island  and  the 
neighboring  Conne6licut  colonies,  and  which  were  figured  forth 
in  that  imaginary  but  hardly  exaggerated  code  known  as  the 
Blue  Laws.  The  orders  against  drunkenness,  lying,  and  kindred 
vices  went  quite  beyond  the  conceptions  of  the  most  zealous 
reformers  of  our  day.  And  the  higher  offences  —  of  which  even 
a  suspicion  was  not  to  escape  —  were  so  signally  dealt  with  that 


198    Biographical  Sketches.    Pitcher.    Franker.    Pratt. 

the  severity  of  the  punishment  attached,  sometimes  operated  as 
a  virtual  repeal  ;  for  the  magistrates  could  not  always  find  it  in 
their  hearts  to  rejeft  defences  of  a  very  doubtful  nature,  rather 
than  impose  the  penalty  that  must  follow  convi6lion.  For  in- 
stance, one  John  Kelley,  a  carpenter,  was  complained  of  for 
endeavoring  to  enter  into  a  supplementary  matrimonial  connec- 
tion, declaring  his  wife  was  dead.  It  appeared  on  the  trial  that  she 
was  not  dead  ;  but  he  defended  against  the  original  charge  in  some 
befoging  way,  and  against  the  additional  one  of  lying,  by  main- 
taining that  his  meaning  was  that  his  wife  was  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sin.  It  is  not  intended  to  conne6l  Mr.  Pierson  with  any 
absurd  or  farcical  proceeding,  but  to  present  a  sort  of  by-way 
illustration.     See  Annals,  1640. 

Pitcher,  Mary  —  better  known  as  Moll  Pitcher,  the  fortune- 
teller. Her  residence  was  on  Essex  street,  opposite  Pearl,  and 
she  died  April  9,  181 3,  aged  75  years.  See  Annals,  18 13.  A 
fac-simile  of  her  signature  is  here  given. 


Ma  r^f^ktyf 


Pompey  —  an  African  prince,  stolen,  brought  hither  and  sold 
as  a  slave.     See  Annals,  1780. 

Poquanum  —  Indian  sachem  of  Nahant.  See  1865  edition 
of  History  of  Lynn,  page  40. 

Pranker,  Edward,  a  woolen  manufa6turer,  and  proprietor 
of  the  mill  bearing  his  name  near  the  site  of  the  ancient  iron 
works,  in  Saugus.  He  died  August  14,  1865,  aged  73  years. 
See  Annals,  1865. 

Pratt,  Micajah  C.  Mr.  Pratt  was  for  many  years  a  prom- 
inent citizen,  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  and  died  on  the  28th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1866,  aged  74  years.  For  the  whole  of  his  business  life, 
which  commenced  as  early  as  1812,  he  was  a  shoe-manufa6turer, 
struggling  along  during  the  protra61ed  period  when  trade  was 
depressed,  by  industry  and  carefulness  sustaining  his  position, 
and  gathering  the  experience  which  when  better  times  dawned 


Biographical  Sketches.     Pratt.  199 

led  on  to  fortune.  He  continued  in  business  forty  years,  manu- 
fa6luring  the  various  kinds  of  shoes  in  demand  for  the  southern 
and  western  markets,  and  at  one  period  employing  between  four 
hundred  and  five  hundred  operatives,  turning  out  some  two 
hundred  and  forty  thousand  pairs  a  year,  which  was  a  very  large 
business  for  a  time  before  machinery  had  to  much  extent  been 
introduced  in  the  business. 

Being  a  member  of  the  society  of  Friends,  he  was  but  little 
in  public  life,  though  he  held  some  positions  of  responsibility, 
where  his  integrity  and  business  capacity  appeared  conspicuous. 
He  was  a6tive  in  promoting  the  usefulness  of  the  Institution  for 
Savings,  established  in  1826  ;  was  president  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Lynn,  and  of  the  Lynn  Fire  and  Marine  Insurance 
Company.  His  manners  were  genial  and  his  tendencies  benev- 
olent and  social. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  18 12,  he  married  Theodate  B. 
Brown,  and  by  her  had  six  children.  His  second  wife,  whom  he 
married  late  in  life,  was  Abby  Newhall,  by  whom  he  had  no 
children.  His  residence  was  on  the  north  side  of  Broad  street, 
a  little  east  of  Silsbee. 

Pratt,  Sidney  Bowne.  Among  the  liberal  and  unassuming 
sons  of  Lynn  may  surely  be  reckoned  this  one.  He  was  a  son 
of  James  Pratt,  who  died  in  1832,  and  who  was  a  prominent 
shoe-manufa6lurer.  The  subjeft  of  this  notice  was  born  on  the 
14th  of  May,  1 8 14,  and  died  on  the  29th  of  January,  1869.  About 
the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  Eastern  Rail-road,  in  1839,  he 
engaged  in  the  express  business,  and  by  faithfulness  and  assiduity 
soon  found  himself  on  the  high  road  of  success,  and  continued 
on,  till  the  time  of  his  death,  always  possessing  the  confidence 
of  the  public.  He  was  at  the  head  of  the  well-known  firm 
of  Pratt  and  Babb.  His  manners  were  affable,  and  his  disposition 
to  accommodate  unvarying.  Indeed  he  seemed  to  possess  just 
those  elements  of  chara6ler  which  are  best  calculated  to  ensure 
success  in  any  business  ;  and  he  was  certainly  successful  in  that 
which  he  chose.  He  was  successful,  too,  in  gaining  an  enduring 
name,  by  his  liberal  bequest  to  the  Free  Public  Library,  the 
first  gift  of  the  kind  received  by  that  institution,  the  amount 
being  ;^  10.000.     His  funeral  took  place  from  the  Friends'  meet- 


200  Biographical  Sketches.     Purchis. 

ing-house,  on  Silsbee  street,  and  was  attended  by  the  Mayor  and 
other  members  of  the  city  government,  and  a  large  concourse 
of  relatives  and  fellow-townsmen.  He  was  never  married.  In 
the  Public  Library  a  very  good  likeness  of  him  is  preserved. 

Purchis,  Oliver.  The  fame  of  Mr,  Purchis  extended  far 
beyond  our  municipal  limits.  He  was  a  man  possessed  of  strong 
points  of  chara6ter,  undoubted  patriotism,  and  a  pertinacity  that 
sometimes  might  well  be  called  obstinacy.  During  the  Andros 
administration  his  energetic  course  in  baffling  the  unwarrantable 
demands  of  the  Governor  and  his  unscrupulous  Secretary,  no 
doubt  saved  the  town  from  loss  and  mortification,  and  received 
well-merited  applause.  His  position  as  Town  Clerk,  at  that 
trying  period,  afforded  opportunities  for  the  display  of  patriotic 
zeal  and  hatred  of  oppression  well  fitted  to  his  temper.  He  came 
as  early  as  1635,  and  in  his  official  capacity  is  named  as  a 
grantee  in  the  Indian  Deed  of  Lynn.  For  some  ten  years  he  was 
a  Representative  in  the  General  Court  ;  was  agent  of  the  iron 
company,  and  somewhat  of  a  military  chara6ler,  though  he  was 
not  a  particularly  bright  star  in  the  latter  sphere.  But  his  long 
and  useful  life  appears  to  have  ended  in  poverty  and  distress. 
On  the  Council  records,  June  19,  1701,  is  found  this  entry:  "A 
resolve  was  sent  up  from  the  Representatives  in  the  words 
following,  viz' :  '  Whereas,  M""  Oliver  Purchase,  an  ancient  public 
servant  in  the  government  is  fallen  to  decay  and  become  very 
indigent  and  necessitous,  not  having  whereof  to  subsist  now  in 
his  age,  and  being  rendered  incapable  of  labour :  Resolved,  That 
in  consideration  of  the  good  service  done  by  s'^  Oliver  Purchase, 
he  be  allowed  the  sum  of  Ten  pounds  out  of  the  public  Treasury 
of  this  province  for  his  necessary  support.' — Which  resolve  being 
read  at  the  Board  was  concurred  with  and  his  Honour  the  Lieut. 
Gov.  gave  his  consent  unto  and  signed  the  same."  But  the  poor 
man,  "deceasing  before  he  had  received  s''  gratuity,"  it  was 
resolved  by  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives,  "  That 
the  aforesaid  sum  of  ten  pounds  be  paid  out  of  the  public  treasury 
ol  this  Province  to  M""  William  Wilson  of  Concord,  to  be  by  him 
delivered  to  M^^s  Sarah  Purchis,  widow,  reli6l  of  said  Oliver 
Purchis."  It  was  in  1691  that  Mr.  Purchis  removed  from  Lynn 
to  Concord,  where  he  died  in  1701,  aged  88  years.     See  Annals 


Biographical   Sketches.     Ravisddl.     Rhodes.         201 

of  early  dates  for  many  fa6ls  concerning  him.     A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  here  given. 


uJzK.z4^  ^mi^^ 


PuRCHis,  Thomas  —  a  Maine  fur  trader.     See  Annals,  1678. 

QuANOPKONAT  —  a  prominent  Indian  resident  of  the  territory 
of  Lynn.     See  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  42. 

Ramsdell,  Abednego.  Mr.  Ramsdell  was  one  of  the  im- 
mortal four  from  Lynn,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Lexington.  It 
was  said  by  an  aged  lady,  that  on  the  fatal  day  a  woman  in  his 
neighborhood  seeing  him  hastening  along  towards  Lexington 
and  being  seized  by  an  unaccountable  presentiment  of  danger, 
called  to  him  and  warned  him  of  her  premonition.  He  bravely 
replied  that  he  might  be  going  to  his  death  ;  but  it  was  a  good 
cause,  and  he  hoped  by  the  aid  of  his  musket  to  take  a  red-coat 
with  him,  if  he  fell.  On  he  sped,  and  was  killed  immediately 
after  reaching  the  battle  ground.     See  Annals,  I775- 

Ramsdell,  John  —  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Lynn.  He 
was  a  witness  in  the  famous  case  between  the  Town  and  Thomas 
Dexter,  concerning  the  ownership  of  Nahant.  Descendants  of 
his  are  yet  among  us.  His  autograph  is  upon  the  Armitage 
Petition,  page  106.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Rhodes,  Amos.  Mr.  Rhodes  was  born  in  Lynn,  on  the  24th 
of  April,  1795,  and  died  on  the  15th  of  January,  1870.  His 
father  was  Amos  Rhodes,  long  a  prominent  business  man,  in  the 
western  seftion  of  the  town,  at  that  time  the  chief  business  part, 
his  dwelling  being  the  one  still  standing  on  the  east  side  of  Fed- 
eral street,  next  south  of  the  mill  brook,  which  house  was  built 
by  him  near  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  ;  and  he  was 
the  same  Amos  Rhodes  named  in  the  correspondence  of  Ebenezer 
Breed,  given  in  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn,  page 
523  et  seq.  The  mother  of  the  subje6l  of  this  notice  was  Eliza- 
beth, the  eldest  daughter  of  Rev.  Obadiah  Parsons. 

Mr.  Rhodes  graduated  at  Harvard  College  with  the  18 16  class, 


202  Biographical  Sketches.     Rhodes. 

and  for  a  few  years  engaged  in  teaching,  spending  a  part  of  the 
time  at  the  south.  His  absence,  however,  was  of  short  duration. 
In  1 817  he  was  preceptor  of  Lynn  Academy.  He  never  pre- 
pared himself  for  entering  either  of  what  are  called  the  learned 
professions,  choosing  rather  to  pursue  a  more  sequestered  path 
of  usefulness.  On  the  organization  of  the  Lynn  Listitution  for 
Savings,  he  was  elefted  treasurer,  and  filled  the  office  for  more 
than  forty  years.  And  to  his  careful  management,  scrupulous 
fidelity,  and  unwearied  vigilance,  that  institution  is  indebted  for 
much  of  its  early  success.  He  was  also  for  many  years  secretary 
of  the  Lynn  Mechanics  Fire  and  Marine  Insurance  Company 
In  the  reading  of  choice  books,  and  in  the  conversation  and 
society  of  the  intelle6lual  and  cultivated,  he  took  unflagging 
delight ;  and  ever  seemed  more  desirous  of  doing  what  he  could 
to  promote  the  mental  and  moral  elevation  of  those  about  him, 
than  to  aid  in  their  struggles  for  the  acquisition  of  mere  wealth. 
For  twenty  years —  1830  to  1850  —  he  afted  as  librarian  of  the 
old  Social  Library,  and  no  doubt  succeeded,  during  that  long 
period,  in  forming  in  many  a  youthful  mind  an  enduring  taste  for 
the  better  class  of  reading,  as  his  judgment  in  the  sele6lion 
of  books  came  to  be  much  relied  on.  He  was  a  fast  friend 
of  Mr.  Lewis  the  poet  and  historian,  and  of  Mr.  Lummus  the 
first  Lynn  newspaper  publisher.  He  however  exercised  his  pen 
but  little  save  upon  the  books  pertaining  to  his  daily  business  ; 
though  his  good  taste,  judgment,  and  acquirements  made  him 
a  useful  member  of  the  little  coterie  who  wrought  in  the  literary 
interests  of  the  Mirror  during  its  most  successful  days. 

Mr.  Rhodes  was  among  the  early  members  of  the  Unitarian 
society,  and  before  the  introdu61;ion  of  church  organs  in  Lynn 
aided  the  choir  by  his  flute  and  bass-viol.  In  the  Sunday  school, 
also,  he  took  an  a6live  interest ;  and  having  labored  for  the 
society  through  all  its  days  of  weakness,  had  the  happiness  to 
see  it  strong  and  prosperous.  But  he  lamented  as  much  as  any 
the  tendency  towards  extreme  rationalistic  views,  which  some 
years  ago  began  to  manifest  itself  in  various  seftions  of  the 
denomination.  We  remember  how  grieved  he  was  at  some 
of  the  sentiments  enunciated  by  Rev.  Theodore  Parker  in  his 
famous  sermon  preached  at  South  Boston,  in  or  about  1841,  and 
how  pleased  he  appeared  when  his  own  minister,  the  Rev.  Mr. 


Biographical  Sketches.     Rhodes.     Richards.         203 

Swett,  after  reading  a  few  passages,  from  the  pulpit,  in  his  clear 
voice  and  with  striking  emphasis,  added,  "  If  that  is  Unitarian- 
ism  I  am  not  a  Unitarian." 

On  the  second  of  December,  1834,  Mr.  Rhodes  married  Lydia, 
a  daughter  of  Winthrop  Newhall,  but  had  no  children.  She 
survived  him.  Funeral  services  over  his  remains  were  held  in 
the  church  where  he  had  so  long  loved  to  worship. 

Rhodes,  Henry,  whose  well-written  autograph  appears  upon 
the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106,  was  among  the  early  comers, 
and  descendants  of  his  are  still  among  us.  Not  much  is  known 
of  him,  though  he  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  good  habits, 
industrious,  and  respe6led.     See  Annals,  1640. 

Richards,  Richard.  Mr.  Richards  was  a  descendant  from 
one  of  the  early  settlers,  and  was  born  in  Lynn,  in  1796.  He 
was,  perhaps,  the  most  inventive  genius,  in  a  mechanical  way, 
ever  born  here ;  and  though  he  never  produced  anything  to 
establish  a  world-wide  reputation,  he  yet  originated  some  things 
that  have  proved  of  great  usefulness,  especially  in  the  staple 
business  of  Lynn,  and  which  furnished  suggestions  for  still 
greater  discoveries  by  other  minds.  He  was  a  last-maker,  by 
trade,  and  in  pursuance  of  that  occupation,  contrived  such  im- 
provements and  adaptations  of  machinery  as  greatly  facilitated 
the  work  and  added  to  the  finish  and  beauty  of  the  produfts 
of  his  shop.  He  constru6led  a  sole-cutting  machine,  for  which, 
n  1844,  he  obtained  a  patent,  and  which  was  superior  to  any 
thing  in  use  before  that  time.  He  also  designed  a  peg-cutting 
machine,  which  was  extensively  used.  A  rail-road  turntable 
which  he  invented  has  continued  to  be  used,  in  some  of  its 
essential  features,  to  the  present  time.  And  a  number  of  minor 
inventions  and  improvements  in  machinery  originated  with  hmi. 
But  the  sole-cutting  machine  was  the  only  one  for  which  he 
received  a  patent. 

As  a  citizen  Mr.  Richards  was  much  esteemed  ;  and  he  held 
various  offices  under  the  old  Town  government.  He  was  also  a 
Representative  in  the  General  Court,  but  never  seemed  to  covet 
official  position,  preferring  rather  to  pursue  the  even  tenor  of  his 
mechanical  employments.     The  enormous  shoe,  capable  of  con- 


204  Biographical  Sketches.     Richardson. 

taining  some  twenty  full-grown  persons,  which  figured  in  proces- 
sions, and  created  so  much  observation  during  the  memorable 
hard  cider  presidential  campaign,  in  1840,  was  a  produ6l  of  his 
genius  and  handiwork.  He  also  constru6led  a  miniature  log 
cabin,  which,  mounted  on  wheels  and  dragged  along  the  streets, 
excited  much  curiosity  as  a  political  adjun6l  in  the  same  spirited 
campaign.     He  died  on  the  19th  of  December,  185  i,  aged  55. 

Richardson,  Jonathan.  Mr.  Richardson  was  a  native  of 
Lynn,  and  died  here  on  the  28th  of  June,  1872,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  87  years.  There  was  no  particularly  striking  event  in  his 
life,  for  he  was  content  to  plod  along,  unambitious  to  rise  from 
the  operative's  work-bench.  He  was  a  shoemaker  of  the  old 
stamp,  and  quietly  pursued  his  humble  calling  for  full  three 
quarters  of  a  century.  And  his  memory  compassed  a  perfe6l 
history  of  the  wonderful  progress  in  our  staple  business.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  members  of  Mount  Carmel  lodge  of  freema- 
sons, and  tyler  for  more  than  forty  years.  Through  the  disturb- 
ing reign  of  anti-masonry,  when  so  many  of  his  neighbors  with- 
drew from  the  institution,  he  remained  faithful  ;  and  his  burial, 
which  took  place  from  the  First  Methodist  meeting-house,  was 
attended  by  a  large  number  of  the  brethren. 

Richardson,  Thomas  P.,  was  the  fourth  Mayor  of  Lynn.  A 
biographical  notice  with  a  portrait  may  be  found  in  the  Centen- 
nial Memorial.  He  died  very  suddenly  on  the  evening  of  Thanks- 
giving day,  November  24,  1881,  aged  65  years.  The  writer  met 
him  at  the  door  of  Mr.  Harrison  Newhall's  residence,  on  Park 
square,  at  about  seven  o'clock.  After  a  cordial  greeting,  he 
immediately  said,  "  I  'm  sick,"  sat  down  on  a  sofa,  and  within  an 
hour,  breathed  his  last.  The  funeral  services  took  place  at  the 
First  Methodist  meeting-house  on  the  afternoon  of  Monday, 
November  28,  the  large  audience  room  being  completely  filled 
with  sympathising  friends.  The  remains  were  thence  conveyed 
to  their  last  resting  place  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery.  Few  have 
passed  out  from  the  business  ranks,  from  among  the  laborers  for 
the  moral  elevation  of  the  community,  or  from  social  life,  more 
deservedly  regretted  than  Mr.  Richardson.  He  had  but  a  few 
weeks  before  his  decease  taken   up  his   residence  in   the  fine 


Biographical  Sketches.    Robbins.    Robinson.  Roby.    205 

mansion  which  he  had  just  ere6led  on  North  Common  street, 
opposite  St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church.  A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  here  given. 


Robbins,  Dr.  Peter  G.,  whose  name  appears  in  our  Annals, 
under  dates  1808  and  18 10,  was  a  conspicuous  resident  here,  for 
many  years.  He  came  in  1805,  and  lived  on  Essex  street,  be- 
tween High  and  Pearl,  in  the  same  house  previously  occupied 
by  Dr.  Henry  Burchstead,  and  subsequently  by  Dr.  Hazeltine. 
Dr.  Robbins  was  much  interested  in  the  political  events  of  the 
pregnant  period  in  which  he  came  here.  Party  spirit  then  ran 
high,  and  on  the  fourth  of  July,  1806,  he  was  sele6led  as  orator 
of  the  Democratic  party,  there  being  likewise  a  celebration  by 
the  Federalists,  whose  orator  was  Hosea  Hildreth,  then  preceptor 
of  the  Academy.  In  1810,  however,  the  parties  united  in  cele- 
brating the  day,  and  Dr.  Robbins  was  the  orator.  Rev.  Chandler 
Robbins,  D.  D.,  for  many  years  minister  of  the  Second  Church 
of  Boston,  (Unitarian,)  and  author  of  several  erudite  works,  was  a 
son  of  his,  born  in  the  house  just  designated,  on  the  14th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1 8 10,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1829.  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Robbins,  settled  over  the  Unitarian  society  of  Lynn,  in  1833, 
was  also  a  son  of  his. 

Robinson,  Col.  James  —  a  revolutionary  soldier,  and  the  first 
postmaster  of  Lynn.  He  died  January  21,  1832,  aged  75.  His 
residence  was  on  Boston  street,  corner  of  North  Federal.  See 
Annals,  1832. 

Roby,  Rev.  Joseph  —  minister  of  the  third  Parish  (Saugus) 
for  the  long  period  of  fifty-one  years.  He  was  a  man  of  learning 
and  held  in  high  esteem  as  a  preacher.  Yet  we  find  a  flippant 
bit  of  doggerel,  stated  by  Mr.  Eaton,  in  his  History  of  Reading, 
to  have  been  written  by  a  parishioner  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hobby, 
therein  named,  which  has  been  claimed  to  give  the  popular 
estimate  of  four  neighboring  divines.  The  allusion  to  Mr.  Roby 
is  certainly  not  over-complimentary  : 


2o6  Biographical  Sketches.     Sadler. 

Good  Mr.  Emerson  (of  Maiden), 
ProiidMr.  Hobby  (of  Reading) 
Silly  old  Carnes  (of  Stoneham), 
And  Coxcomb  Roby  (of  Saugus). 

"Proud  Mr.  Hobby"  was  the  reverend  gentleman  referred  to 
in  our  Annals,  under  date  1745,  as  having  had  the  controversy 
with  Mr.  Henchman  of  Lynn,  respedting  the  celebrated  preacher 
Whitefield.  Mr.  Hobby  went  with  the  multitude  to  hear  Mr. 
Whitefield  when  he  preached  on  Reading  Common,  and  was 
candid  enough  to  afterwards  say  that  he  went  to  prick  a  hole  in 
Whitefield's  coat,  but  Whitefield  had  pricked  a  hole  in  his  heart. 
He  became  a  warm  defender  of  the  great  preacher  against  the 
assaults  of  the  alarmed  clergy  who  with  vigor  and  pertinacity 
opposed  everything  that  did  not  accord  with  the  old  faith  and 
their  established  usages.  Mr.  Roby  died  January  31,  1803,  aged 
79  years.     See  Annals,  1803, 

Sadler,  Richard.  The  lofty  porphyry  cliff  near  the  junftion 
of  Walnut  and  Holyoke  streets,  from  which  some  of  our  most 
extensive  and  charming  views  can  be  obtained,  took  its  name 
of  Sadler's  Rock  from  this  individual,  who,  at  the  land  allotment 
in  1638,  had  two  hundred  acres  assigned  to  him,  and  "the  rock 
by  his  house."  This  enables  us  with  certainty  to  determine  in 
what  neighborhood  he  settled.  He  was  a  prominent  personage 
and  well-known  throughout  the  Colony  ;  and  that  his  services  at 
home  were  appreciated  is  indicated  by  the  liberality  of  the  grants 
to  him.  He  was  our  first  Clerk  of  the  Writs,  and  a  member 
of  the  Salem  Court ;  also  one  of  the  commissioners  to  run  the 
bounds  between  Lynn  and  Boston,  in  1639,  Robert  Keayne,  the 
first  captain  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  being  a 
fellow-commissioner.  He  was  a  man  of  education,  and  it  is 
presumed  had  remained  a  churchman,  inasmuch  as  after  his 
return  to  England,  in  1647,  he  became  a  minister  in  the  estab- 
lished church,  though  ecclesiastical  matters  were,  about  that 
period,  so  mixed  up  in  England,  that  it  was  sometimes  a  problem 
with  an  individual  where  he  should  rank.  He  was  here  but 
about  ten  years  ;  and  his  return  may  have  been  hastened  by 
want  of  sympathy  with  the  rigid  views  and  usages  of  this  then 
puritanical  community.  A  rude  Memorial  Stone  was  erefted 
some  years  ago,  by  the  writer,  at  the  roadside  near  the  foot 


Biographical  Sketches.  Sanderson.  SJicpard.  Silsbce.  207 

of  the  rock  that  bears  the  good  old  settler's  name.     See  Annals, 
1635,  and  other  early  dates. 

Sanderson,  George  P.,  the  sixteenth  Mayor  of  Lynn,  was 
inaugurated  on  the  6th  of  January,  1879.  He  was  also  elected 
for  a  second  term,  and  inaugurated  on  the  5th  of  January,  1880. 
He  was  born  in  Gardiner,  Me.,  on  the  22d  of  November,  1836. 
For  most  of  his  business  life  he  has  been  engaged  as  operative, 
agent,  or  manufa6lurer,  in  some  department  of  the  shoe  trade, 
chiefly  in  Lynn.  He  has  all  along  been  identified  with  the 
workingmen's  interests,  and  as  a  leader,  received  the  confidence 
and  support  of  his  party.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  civil  war, 
performed  his  duties  faithfully,  and  was  honorably  discharged. 
On  the  third  of  July,  1859,  ^^  married  Julia  A.,  a  daughter 
of  William  H.  Mills,  and  has  four  sons.  A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  appended. 


i^<.'^^^<^oy^c^i^^'^-tr>z^ . 


Shepard,  Rev.  Jeremiah,  minister  of  the  First  Parish  for 
forty  years.  Shepard  street  takes  its  name  from  him  ;  also 
Shepard  school.  He  died  on  the  third  of  June,  1720,  aged  72. 
See  Annals,  1720.     His  signature  is  shown  by  this  fac-simile: 


6^ 


&V^^  CL 


SiLSBEE,  Henry.  This  individual  appeared  in  Lynn  at  an 
early  period  and  was  the  founder  of  a  family  which,  though  not 
remarkable  for  numbers,  has  always  been  in  creditable  standing. 
Silsbee  street  commemorates  the  name.  Dr.  Emmerton  in  his 
Gleanings  from  English  Records  says :  "  The  name  Silsbee  is 
one  of  the  rarest  in  the  records  accessible  at  London."  ..."  The 
parish  records  of  Olney,  Bucks,  dating  from  about  1666,  gives 
baptisms  of  a  Samuel  Slisby's  daughters  after  1670.  Mr.  James 
Stowe,  the  affable  parish  clerk,  told  me,  while  I  was  studying 


2o8  Biographical  Sketches.     Silsbce. 

the  inscriptions  on  the  gravestones  in  the  churchyard,  that  the 
name  had  disappeared  from  Ohiey  but  still  remained  in  neigh- 
boring villages.  Mr.  Stowe's  interest  in  such  matters  was  evinced 
by  the  care  with  which  he  had  cleaned  the  inscriptions  obscured 
by  lichen  and  mold  rather  than  age,  for  few,  if  any,  antedated 
the  eighteenth  century.  The  records  contain  many  entries  of 
familiar  Lynn  names :  Laughton,  Collins,  Townsend,  Cooper, 
etc.  ;  and  though  Farrington  and  Kyrtland  had  disappeared,  I 
was  more  than  ever  inclined  to  the  theory  that  Henry  Silsby 
[the  first  of  the  name  here]  had  removed  from  Salem  and  Ipswich 
to  Lynn,  in  order  to  be  near  old  country  neighbors." 

It  may  be  added  here,  that  Dr.  Emmerton  is  a  native  of  Salem 
but  lineally  conne6led  with  the  Silsbees  and  Newhalls  of  Lynn. 
His  great-grandfather,  on  the  maternal  side,  was  'Squire  James 
Newhall,  who  lived  in  the  two-story  frame  house  still  standing 
on  the  north  side  of  Boston  street  a  little  west  of  Tower  Hill, 
and  opposite  the  end  of  Summer  street.  He,  the  Do6tor,  in 
company  with  Henry  F.  Waters,  Esq.,  recently  visited  England  ; 
and  both  being  deeply  interested  in  genealogical  researches, 
discovered  among  the  old  records  there,  many  interesting  fa6ls, 
some  of  which  have  already  appeared  in  print.  Mr.  Waters  was 
a  son  of  the  late  Judge  Waters.  It  is  to  educated,  intelligent, 
and  appreciative  gentlemen  like  Dr.  Emmerton  and  Mr.  Waters 
that  the  student  of  the  past  and  of  family  history  is  greatly 
indebted. 

Several  of  the  Salem  branch  of  the  Silsbee  family  became 
widely  known  ;  among  them,  Hon.  Nathaniel  Silsbee,  United 
States  Senator.  In  the  spelling  of  the  name  similar  variations 
and  vagaries  were  indulged  in  as  in  the  names  of  other  early 
settlers  ;  and  hence  we  find  Sellesby,  Seylesbie,  Sillsby,  Silesbey, 
Silsby,  Silsbee,  Silsbye,  Sylsbe,  Scilsbey,  Silsbe,  Sillsbe,  Sillsbee. 

Henry  Silsbee,  the  first  of  the  name  in  Lynn,  probably  came 
in  165 1,  purchasing  the  house  once  occupied  by  Joseph  Floyd, 
or  Flud,  or  fflood,  as  the  name  was  variously  spelled,  which  stood 
on  Fayette  street,  a  few  rods  south  of  Essex.  He  seems  to  have 
possessed  some  means,  and  was  called  a  "  shooemaker,"  but 
very  likely  followed  farming  most  of  the  time,  as  he  owned  a 
considerable  quantity  of  land.  A  grandson  of  his  named  Na- 
thaniel, whose  father  was  a  carpenter,  residing  in  Salem,  is  tra- 


Biographical  Sketches.    Sparhawk.  Stickney.  Swett.  209 

ditionally  reported  to  have  taken  the  coffins  in  which  some  of  the 
witches  were  buried,  in  1692,  to  Gallows  Hill,  he  being  then  a 
lad  of  about  fifteen  years.  Dr.  Emmerton  has  lately  published 
"  A  Genealogical  Account  of  Henry  Silsbee  and  some  of  his 
descendants,"  which  is  or  ought  to  be  in  the  hands  of  the  whole 
family  connedlion. 

Sparhawk,  Rev.  Nathaniel,  first  minister  of  Lynnfield  Par- 
ish, settled  in  1720.  He  died  May  7,  1732,  aged  38  years.  See 
Annals,  1731. 

Stickney,  Jeremiah  C.,  a  prominent  lawyer  in  Lynn  for  forty 
years,  and  first  City  Solicitor.  He  died  August  3,  1869,  aged 
64.     See  Annals,  1869.     A  fac-simile  of  his  signature  follows. 


Swett,  Rev.  William  G.,  fourth  minister  of  the  Unitarian 
society.     He  died  January  15,  1843,  aged  34.     See  Annals,  1843. 

Mr.  Swett  was  possessed  of  such  rare  and  diversified  qualities 
that  to  a  superficial  observer  it  might  appear  that  in  him  were 
assembled  downright  contradi6tory  charafleristics.  Out  of  the 
pulpit,  he  was  lively,  overflowing  with  wit,  and  not  unfrequently 
with  jocularity.  But  in  the  pulpit,  nothing  approaching  levity 
was  perceptible.  His  discourses  were  scholarly,  pointed,  and 
delivered  in  a  distin6l  and  finely  modulated  voice,  without  sensa- 
tional gush  or  misplaced  fervor.  His  style,  indeed,  was  just  such 
as  is  appreciated  by  thoughtful  minds  ;  and  it  is  not  wonderful 
that  so  many  of  the  more  intelligent  class  of  our  people  were 
attra6ted  that  his  church  became  so  filled  as  to  render  it  difficult 
for  new-comers  to  procure  eligible  sittings.  He  was  notably 
free  from  what  were  known  as  transcendental  and  rationalistic 
tendencies,  and  so  little  inclined  to  make  prominent  any  pe- 
culiar do6lrine,  that  even  one  of  broad  evangelical  views,  as 
they  are  called,  could  seldom  see  anything  to  offend. 

His  sermons    hardly  ever   exceeded   twenty  minutes  in   the 

14 


210  Biographical  Sketches.      Swett. 

delivery  ;  and  the  writer  has  heard  him  remark  that  if  a  preacher 
could  not  enforce  at  least  one  good  lesson  in  that  space  he  ought 
to  be  ashamed  ;  and  one  good  lesson  at  a  time,  he  added,  was 
full  enough  for  the  digestion  of  most  persons.  His  purpose 
manifestly  was  to  benefit  his  hearers  rather  than  to  enjoy  any 
oratorical  triumphs  of  his  own  ;  thus  in  a  measure  reversing  the 
example  of  some  of  our  pyrotechnic  friends  in  the  sacred  desk. 
He  was  not  a  mere  book  student,  but  relied  chiefly  on  his  own 
innate  ability  to  interest  and  instru6l ;  and  hence  there  was  an 
originality,  a  freshness  and  vigor  pervading  what  he  wrote,  that 
was  remarkably  telling.  He  had  no  colleftion  that  could  be 
called  a  library  —  hardly  a  book  of  reference.  We  remember 
once  hearing  Rev.  Dr.  Peabody  ask  to  be  shown  to  his  library 
for  the  purpose  of  determining  some  point.  "  Well,  Dodlor," 
said  he,  "  I  have  but  a  poor  library,  and  it  is  all  here,"  —  pointing 
to  his  head. 

His  health  was  not  good,  and  he  often  expressed  the  belief  that 
he  should  not  live  to  be  old  ;  but  he  was  aftive  and  much  out 
of  doors.  For  a  good  horse  he  had  an  almost  sentimental  fond- 
ness ;  and  the  beautiful  drives  in  our  vicinity,  held  out,  in  pleas- 
ant weather,  irresistible  attraftions  ;  but  he  frequently  made  his 
own  enjoyment  subservient  to  duty,  by  taking  out  for  an  airing 
some  poor,  aged,  or  infirm  parishioner. 

He  had  some  pecuniary  resources  beyond  his  salary,  and  hence 
was  able  to  indulge  in  adls  of  benevolence  in  the  quiet  and  secret 
way  which  was  his  delight.  He  was  accustomed  to  say  that  he 
purposed  to  dispense  in  charity  an  amount  equal  to  his  salary. 
Many  a  poor  widow  has  had  dumped  at  her  door  a  load  of  fuel, 
without  ever  knowing  who  the  donor  was.  And  many  a  poor, 
sick  child  has  received  soothing  delicacies  without  knowing 
whence  they  came,  and  when  able  to  return  to  his  play-things 
has  wondered  who  brought  the  beautiful  kaleidoscope,  the  Noah's 
ark  and  picture-blocks. 

Mr.  Swett  was  a  son  of  Col.  Samuel  Swett  late  of  Boston, 
whose  wife  was  Lucia,  the  only  daughter  of  William  Gray,  the 
eminent  merchant  and  Lieutenant  Governor,  and  who  was  a 
native  of  Lynn.  He,  the  Colonel,  built  for  his  son  the  house 
on  the  rise  of  the  hill,  near  Essex  street,  which  afterwards  became 
the  residence  of  Mayor  George  Hood.     But  the  good  minister 


Biographical  Sketches.   Taylor.   Tomlins.   Townsend.  211 

did  not  live  long  to  enjoy  the  place  he  so  much  admired.  A 
year  or  two  before  his  death  he  married  Charlotte,  a  daughter 
of  Col.  Phinney,  of  Lexington,  and  by  her  had  one  child  —  a 
daughter. 

Taylor,  David,  for  many  years  an  extensive  shoe-manufac 
turer  ;  intelligent  and  enterprising.     His  residence  was  on  South 
Common  street  corner  of  Commercial ;  and  there  he  died,  Oc- 
tober II,  1871,  aged  6"^.     See  Annals,  1871. 

Thacher,  Rev.  Thomas,  seventh  minister  of  the  First  Parish. 
He  preached  the  afife6ling  sermon,  in  the  Old  Tunnel  meeting- 
house, December  11,  1795,  over  the  bodies  of  the  eight  drowned 
mariners,  the  only  seaman  who  had  escaped,  standing  in.  the 
aisle  near  the  remains  of  his  companions.  Mr.  Thacher  died 
September  24,  1849,  aged  yZ.     See  Annals,  18 13. 

Tomlins,  Edward  —  an  early  and  prominent  settler.  His 
autograph  appears  on  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106.  See 
Annals,  1630,  and  other  early  dates. 

Tomlins,  Timothy,  was  a  brother  of  Edward,  just  named. 
The  extensive  tra6t  of  forest  and  swamp  land,  in  Lynn  woods, 
known  as  Tomlins's  Swamp,  took  its  name  from  him.  He 
seems  to  have  been  full  of  business,  readily  turning  to  some  new 
enterprise  when  the  old  became  unprofitable.  In  1636  he  added 
a  "  howse  of  intertainement "  to  his  other  industries.  In  the 
land  distribution  of  1638  the  town  granted  him  eighty  acres  ; 
but  that  could  not  have  been  excessively  liberal  if  he  took  it  in 
land  like  that  of  the  swamp  now  bearing  his  name.  He  was  a 
Representative  for  several  terms,  and  his  autograph  is  among 
those  appended  to  the  Armitage  Petition.     See  Annals,  1630. 

Townsend,  Thomas.  This  early  settler  at  one  time  lived  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  iron  works,  though  it  is  probable  that  he 
owned  lands  in  different  quarters.  He  is  supposed  to  have  come 
from  London,  was  a  cousin  of  Governor  Winthrop,  and  could 
trace  his  lineage  to  a  Norman  nobleman  who  flourished  near 
the  time  of  the  Conquest.     One  of  his  ancestors,  of  the  same 


212     Biographical  Sketches.     Trevett.     Tudor.     Tufts. 

baptismal  name,  had  the  honor  of  entertaining  Queen  Elizabeth 
in  her  progress  through  Norfolk,  in  August,  1578,  and  for  loyalty 
and  attention  his  wife  afterwards  received  from  Her  Majesty  a 
beautiful  gilt  bowl. 

Mr.  Townsend's  five  children  were  all  born  in  Lynn,  between 
1636  and  1645  ;  and  his  widow,  Mary,  died  of  camp  fever,  Feb. 
28,  1692.  The  family  has  always  maintained  a  good  position  in 
New  England,  some  individuals  becoming  quite  noted  ;  but 
within  our  own  borders  it  has  not  been  specially  marked.  An- 
drew Towsend  of  Lynn  was  wounded  in  the  great  swamp  fight 
with  the  Narragan setts,  December  19,  1675.  And  in  the  battle 
of  Lexington,  Daniel  Townsend  fell.  See  Annals,  1775.  Charles 
Hervey  Townsend  of  New  Haven,  Ct.,  a  few  years  since  pub- 
lished a  limited  Genealogy  of  the  family,  which  cannot  fail  to 
interest  those  of  the  lineage.  The  autograph  of  Thomas  Towns- 
end  is  conspicuous  among  those  on  the  Armitage  Petition,  page 
106.  And  it  is  to  the  kindness  of  Charles  Hervey  Townsend, 
just  named,  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  use  of  the  engraving 
of  the  autographs. 

Treadwell,  Rev.  John  —  minister  of  the  First  Parish  during 
the  Revolution,  and  an  ardent  patriot.     See  Annals,  1782. 

Trevett,  Robert  W.  —  a  lawyer  of  considerable  acquire- 
ments, for  many  years  in  pra6lice  here.  He  died  January  13, 
1842,  aged  53  years.  He  was  a  son  of  the  noted  Captain  Trevett 
of  the  U.  S.  navy,  a  native  of  Marblehead.    See  Annals,  1842. 

Tudor,  Frederic  —  projeftor  of  many  improvements  on  Na- 
hant,  and  father  of  the  New  England  ice  trade.  He  died  Feb. 
6,  1 864,  aged  80  years.     See  Annals,  1 864. 

Tufts,  Deacon  Richard.  Deacon  Tufts  was  born  in  Lynn, 
and  was  a  son  of  David  Tufts,  a  corporal  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution,  who,  after  the  war  was  ended,  took  up  the  peaceful 
and  multifarious  employments  of  farmer,  trader,  and  common 
carrier,  all  in  a  limited  way.  He  owned  and  occupied  a  house 
that  stood  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Federal  street  and  Western 
avenue.     The  Deacon  while  still  a  young  man  became  conspic- 


Biographical  Sketches.     Turner.     Usher.     Vinton.     213 

uous  for  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  through  life 
was  chara6terized  by  rigidity  of  principle  and  persistency  in 
labors  for  the  moral  reformation  of  the  community.  In  religion 
he  tenaciously  adhered  to  the  Calvrnistic  faith,  and  for  many 
years  held  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  First  Church,  without 
reproach.  And  it  was  by  the  watchfulness  and  labors  of  such 
as  he  that  that  ancient  shrine  was  preserved  from  the  "  liberal- 
ism "  that  has  so  changed  the  chara6ler  of  almost  all  the  earlier 
churches  planted  by  the  Puritans.  His  son,  Gardiner  Tufts,  was 
prominent  in  the  civil  war,  for  his  efficient  services  in  Washington 
and  elsewhere  in  behalf  of  the  Massachusetts  soldiery.  And 
since  the  close  of  the  war  he  has  acceptably  filled  several  impor- 
tant public  positions  where  skill  and  integrity  were  especially 
demanded.  The  Deacon  died  on  the  29th  of  February,  1880,  in 
the  83d  year  of  his  age. 

Turner,  Capt.  Nathaniel  —  a  brave  and  trustworthy  colo- 
nial officer,  and  a  public  chara6ler  of  great  merit.  See  Annals, 
1630,  and  other  early  dates.  The  sword  which  he  wielded 
against  the  Indians  is  still  preserved  by  the  Historical  Society 
at  Hartford,  Ct.  It  has  done  efficient  service,  too,  in  other 
hands  since  the  Captain's  time  ;  in  the  old  French  war  and  in 
the  Revolution.  A  pi6lure  of  this  formidable  weapon  may  be 
seen  in  Harper's  Magazine,  volume  17,  page  3.  He  sailed  for 
England  in  January,  1647,  in  hopes  of  promoting  the  interests 
of  the  New  Haven  Colony  ;  but  nothing  was  ever  afterwards 
heard  of  the  vessel  or  any  one  on  board  —  unless  the  celebrated 
"  Phantom  Ship  "  which  appeared  off  the  harbor,  some  months 
after,  and  in  a  few  minutes  faded  away,  may  be  taken  as  a  ghostly 
representative. 

Usher,  Roland  G.  —  the  eleventh  Mayor  of  Lynn.  P^or 
notice  with  portrait  see  Centennial  Memorial.  The  following  is 
a  fac-simile  of  his  autograph. 


-     ^^^^^3 


Vinton,  John  —  ancestor  of  the  large  and  distinguished  Ame- 
rican family  of  Vintons.     See  Annals,  1650. 


214  Biographical  Sketches.    Walden.    Walker.    Washburn. 

Walden,  Edwin  —  the  thirteenth  Mayor  of  Lynn.  For  no- 
tice with  portrait  see  Centennial  Memorial.  A  fac-simile  of  his 
signature  is  here  given.  /\ 

H)  cLulka'v-      vv)  cOuL\jeyr\^ 

Walker,  Richard  —  a  farmer,  and  military  commander.  See 
Annals,  1630  and  other  early  dates.  His  autograph  is  on  the 
Armitage  Petition.     He  lived  to  the  great  age  of  95  years. 

Washburn,  Peter  T.  —  Governor  of  Vermont.  Peter  Thachei 
Washburn  was  born  in  Lynn  on  the  seventh  of  September,  18 14, 
and  was  a  son  of  Reuben  P.  Washburn  who  settled  here  as  a 
lawyer,  in  18 12,  and  married  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Thacher, 
minister  of  the  First  Parish,  her  grandfather  being  the  widely- 
known  Dr.  Peter  Thacher,  for  many  years  minister  of  Brattle 
street  Church,  in  Boston. 

At  an  early  age  the  subje6l  of  this  sketch  left  Lynn,  with  his 
father,  who  removed  to  Chester,  Vt.,  afterwards  to  Cavendish, 
and  thence  to  Ludlow,  where,  in  i860,  he  died.  Peter  graduated 
at  Dartmouth  college,  in  1835,  and  immediately  engaged  in  the 
study  of  law,  in  his  father's  office.  Afterwards,  for  a  few  months, 
he  studied  under  United  States  Senator  Upham,  of  Montpelier, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1838.  The  next  year  he  began 
pradlice  at  Ludlow,  where  he  gained  a  high  reputation  and  a  good 
business.  In  1844  he  removed  to  Woodstock,  having  formed  a 
law  partnership  with  Charles  P.  Marsh,  which  continued  till  his 
death.  In  the  last  named  year  he  was  ele6led  by  the  Legislature 
Reporter  of  the  Decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Vermont 
and  continued  in  the  office  eight  years.  One  excellent  trait  in 
any  lawyer,  or  indeed  in  a  man  of  any  calling,  it  is  said  was 
possessed  by  Mr.  Washburn  in  a  marked  degree  ;  and  that  is, 
a  readiness  to  aid  the  oppressed.  He  is  reputed  to  have  been 
always  zealous  to  do  his  utmost,  without  the  expectation  of  re- 
ward, to  prote6l  the  weak  or  poor  when  exposed  to  the  machina- 
tions of  the  selfish  and  unscrupulous,  who  so  often  resort  to  the 
wearying  intricacies  of  the  law  for  the  furtherance  of  their  base 
purposes  ;  and  who,  unfortunately,  can  generally  find  enough  in 
the  profession  to  second  their  nefarious  designs. 


Biographical  Sketches.      Washburn.  215 

At  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  he  was  in 
command  of  the  Woodstock  Light  Infantry.  And  at  the  first 
call  of  the  President  for  troops  he  volunteered,  and  soon  raised  a 
company  of  the  full  regulation  standard.  Early  on  the  morning 
of  May  I,  1 861,  with  his  little  loyal  band,  he  departed  for  the 
scene  of  war,  marching  from  the  armory  to  the  stirring  tune 
of  Yankee  Doodle.  Arrived  in  Virginia,  he  soon  became  a6ling 
Colonel  of  the  regiment  of  which  his  company  formed  a  part. 
But  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  was  called  back  for  other 
important  duties  conne6ted  with  the  war.  He  was  elefted  Adju- 
tant and  Inspedlor  General  of  the  State.  And  that  position  he 
continued  to  fill  till  the  war  ended.  His  labors  in  that  office 
were  so  constant  and  exhaustive  that  many  thought  such  inroads 
were  made  upon  his  health  that  it  never  again  became  fully 
established. 

In  September,  1869  he  was  eledled  Governor  of  the  State,  by 
a  large  majority.  And  though  he  was  removed  by  death  before 
he  had  held  the  office  many  months,  he  had  made  a  remarkably 
favorable  impression.  His  executive  ability  was  freely  acknow- 
ledged by  all  parties  ;  and  there  was  every  prospe6l  of  a  more 
than  ordinarily  successful  administration.  At  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  addition  to  the  Governorship  he  was  a  Trustee  of  the 
University  of  Vermont,  a  Trustee  of  the  State  Agricultural 
College,  and  President  of  the  Woodstock  Rail-road. 

Governor  Washburn  died  on  the  7th  of  February,  1870,  at  the 
age  of  55  years,  leaving  a  widow  and  three  children  —  a  son  and 
two  daughters.  His  death  was  considered  by  the  physicians  to 
have  proceeded  from  a  general  breaking  down  of  the  nervous 
system,  from  excessive  labor,  no  evidence  of  disease,  organic  or 
funftional,  being  discovered.  He  had  been  working  almost 
unremittingly,  when  not  engaged  in  public  duties,  on  his  Digest 
of  the  Supreme  Court  Decisions  ;  and  literally  went  from  that 
work  to  the  bed  from  which  he  never  arose.  The  funeral  services 
took  place  at  the  Congregational  church  in  Woodstock,  the  body 
being  laid  out  in  a  full  suit  of  black,  with  a  military  cloak,  and 
amid  profuse  floral  decorations.  Highly  eulogistic  notices  ap- 
peared in  the  newspapers,  and  there  was  every  evidence  of  sincere 
mourning  as  for  a  great  public  loss.  "  He  was,"  said  the  Ver- 
gennes  Vermnnter,  "one  of  the  few  living  illustrations  of  Phil- 


2i6        Biographical  Sketches.      Washburn.      Wheeler. 

lips's  positive  men.     They  are  rarely  met  with  in  public  or  private 
life.     Vermont  appreciated  him,  and  he  will  be  mourned  as  one 
of  the  few  in  public  life  whose  sense  of  justice  was  stronger  than 
personal  preference  or  even  the  didation  of  party."     The  Repub- 
lican, of  Springfield,  Mass.,  remarked  "  It  was  in  the  office  of 
Adjutant  General  that   Governor  Washburn's  fitness  for  public 
service  was  first  made  known  to  the  people.     His  accuracy  of 
dealing  was  as  certain  and  as  rigid  as  mathematics.     The  dis- 
charge of  a  public  duty  was  with  him  reckoned  among  the  '  exa6t 
sciences.'     If  he  had  been  less  honest  than  he  was,  he  would 
still  have  followed  honesty  from  sheer  devotion  to  its  straight- 
forwardness, its  absolute  correftness.     We  speak  of  this  charac- 
teristic, not  to  elevate  it  above  his  unimpeachable  integrity,  but 
because  it  is  what  marks  him  among  governors.     Vermont  has 
had  honest  executives  before  but  it  has  been  some  time  since 
she  had  a  governor  who  governed,  who  picked  up  the  loose  ends 
in  her  administrative  departments  and  set  every  thing  in  order. 
He  was  not  only  above  jobbing  and  lobbying,  rail-road  or  other- 
wise, but  he  forbade  his  private  secretary  to  use  so  much  as  a 
two-cent  stamp  of  the  State's  property,  except  for  public  purposes. 
With  the  same  regard  for  the  fitness  of  things,  he  introduced 
almost  military  formality  in  his  intercourse  with  subordinates  ; 
not  that  he  was  at  all  'setup'  by  his  position,  but  he  would 
have  order  and  system  in  every  thing,  insisting  on  every  man's 
knowing  his  proper  place  and  his  responsibilities." 

Washburn,  Reuben  P.,  a  learned  lawyer,  who  settled  in 
Lynn,  in  1812.  He  removed  to  Vermont,  and  became  a  judge 
in  a  State  court ;  was  father  of  Governor  Washburn,  just  spoken 
of,  and  died  in  i860,  aged  79.     See  Annals,  18 12. 

Wenepoykin,  an  Indian  Sagamore.  See  History  of  Lynn, 
1865  edition,  page  38. 

Wheeler,  Thomas.  Mr.  Wheeler  came  to  Lynn  in  1635, 
and  was  made  a  freeman  in  1642.  He  appears  to  have  been  a 
useful  man,  in  an  unostentatious  way,  while  here  ;  was  a  mill 
owner,  and  a  man  of  some  property.  His  name  figures  in  our 
Annals  under  dates  1633,  1653,  and  1657.     It  was  against  him 


Biographical  Sketches.      Whiting.  217 

that  Captain  Bridges  issued  the  warrant  for  slander  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Cobbet.  (See  notice  of  Robert  Bridges.)  He  remained  till 
1664,  and  then  removed  to  Stonington,  Ct.,  taking  with  him  his 
wife  Mary,  his  son  Isaac,  and  his  daughters  Elizabeth  and  Sarah. 
He  became  the  largest  land-holder  in  Stonington,  partly  by 
grants  from  the  town  and  partly  by  purchase ;  was  an  honored 
member  of  the  church  ;  held  important  public  offices  ;  and  died 
there,  in  1686,  at  the  age  of  84.  His  grandson  Isaac,  son  of  the 
Isaac  who  went  from  Lynn,  married  a  daughter  of  Rev,  Jeremiah 
Shepard,  first  minister  of  the  Old  Tunnel,  December  9,  1697. 
She  was  quite  a  business  charadler,  and  amassed  a  handsome 
property  ;  was  accustomed  to  ride  from  Stonington  to  Boston  to 
purchase  dry  goods,  and  bought  up  all  the  spare  beef  and  pork 
in  her  neighborhood,  for  shipment  to  the  latter  place.  She  had 
two  children,  Margaret  and  Thomas,  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 
Thomas  was  born  in  1700,  and  died  in  1750,  the  richest  man  in 
the  vicinity.     See  Annals,  early  dates. 

Whiting,  Rev.  Samuel,  a  learned  divine,  for  more  than  forty 
years  minister  of  the  First  Parish.  See  Annals,  1679  and  earlier 
dates.  Of  none  of  the  New  England  fathers  can  a  roll  of  nobler 
descendants  be  presented.  Some  of  them  are  named  in  our 
pages  of  Annals,  some  in  the  Centennial  Memorial,  and  some  in 
the  book  giving  an  account  of  the  proceedings  on  the  celebration 
of  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  settlement.  It 
is  not,  however,  recolle6led  that  we  have  heretofore  named 
Nathaniel  Whiting,  who  was  a  Lieutenant  in  Pepperell's  expedi- 
tion, in  1745.  He  was  born  in  1724,  and  graduated  at  Yale,  in 
1743  ;  was  a  Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the  Crown  Point  expedition, 
and  at  the  battle  near  lake  George,  succeeded  to  the  command, 
when  Colonel  Williams  —  from  whom  Williams  College  took  its 
name  —  fell.  He  was  with  Abercrombie  at  Ticonderoga,  and 
with  Amherst  in  the  redu6lion  of  Canada ;  always  acquitting 
himself  as  a  brave,  prudent,  and  humane  officer.  All  along, 
through  our  whole  history,  we  find  examples  of  the  heroic  devo- 
tion of  members  of  this  noble  family.  We  find  them  in  all 
departments,  military,  civil,  and  ecclesiastical,  pursuing  with 
patriotic  zeal  and  intelligent  forecast,  the  highest  interests  of  the 
loved  country  of  their  birth.     Who  of  this  generation  can  forget 


2i8  Biographical  Sketches.      Widger.      IViikms. 

the  devoted  condu6t  of  Hon.  William  Whiting,  of  Boston,  during- 
the  civil  war  ?  Whiting  school  was  named  in  memory  of  our  early 
minister  ;  also  Whiting  street ;  indeed  the  name  of  the  town  was 
adopted  in  courtesy  to  him.  A  fac-simile  of  a  signature  of  his 
written  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  follows.    r»  ^ 


^hi'PlrY^  ^/ 


Widger,  Thomas,  a  mariner  and  prisoner  of  war.  He  died 
January  21,  1871,  aged  80  years.     See  Annals,  1871. 

WiLKiNS,  Bray.  This  early  settler  was  a  husbandman  by 
occupation,  though  like  many  others,  at  that  period,  he  found  it 
expedient  to  follow  other  callings  at  different  times.  See  Annals, 
1630.  It  is  probable  that  he  had  something  to  do  with  the  iron 
works,  for  when  he  and  John  Gingle  purchased  the  Bellingham 
farro,  they  paid  down  ;^24  in  bar  iron,  and  ;^i  in  money,  mort- 
gaging back  for  ;^225  ;  this  purchase  being  made  after  his  return 
from  Dorchester,  whither  he  went  from  Lynn,  and  where  he  had 
been  keeper  of  Neponset  ferry.  Gingle  was  a  tailor  by  trade 
and  lived  in  Lynn,  but  left  no  mark  by  which  he  can  with  any 
certainty  be  traced.  In  1676  the  mortgage  was  discharged,  and 
Wilkins,  having  bought  out  Gingle's  interest,  became  sole  pos- 
sessor of  the  farm,  which  originally  comprised  some  hundreds 
of  acres,  and  had  been  enlarged  by  other  purchases.  He  had 
six  sons,  lusty  and  strong,  some  or  all  of  whom  settled  around 
him,  he  remaining  like  a  patriarch  among  them.  He  was  stern 
and  uncompromising  in  his  religious  views,  and  became  conspic- 
uous for  his  zeal  in  the  witchcraft  prosecutions,  evidently  having 
a  sincere  belief  in  the  personality  of  the  evil  one  and  his  vile 
attempts  to  harass  and  destroy  the  good  people  hereabout. 
John  Willard,  a  grandson  of  his,  was  among  the  unfortunates 
who  suffered  death  for  the  supposed  crime,  and  the  conclusion 
cannot  be  avoided  that  the  course  the  grandfather  took  had  no 
tendency  to  prevent  the  unhappy  result.  Hon.  C.  W.  Upham, 
in  his  valuable  work  on  the  witchcraft  outbreak,  gives  some 
touching  details  regarding  Mr.  Wilkins  and  his  kindred  as 
connedled  with   the   strange  episode ;  but  to  many  minds  his 


Biographical  Sketches.      Willis.  219 

narrations  are  more  interesting  than  his  conclusions  satisfa6tory  ; 
for  it  can  hardly  be  possible  that  human  nature,  depraved  as  it 
is,  could  develop  such  examples  of  precocious  cunning,  lying,  and 
dissembling,  in  mere  children,  as  he  supposes.  No,  no,  the 
"  delusion  "  must  have  arisen  from  some  psychological  condition 
different  from  that  suggested  by  him. 

Mr.  Wilkins  in  a  deposition  says  :  "  When  John  Willard  [his 
grandson]  was  first  complained  of  by  the  afflidted  persons  for 
affli6ling  them,  he  came  to  my  house,  greatly  troubled,  desiring 
me,  with  some  other  neighbors,  to  pray  for  him.  I  told  him  I 
was  then  going  from  home,  and  could  not  stay ;  but  if  I  could 
come  home  before  night,  I  should  not  be  unwilling.  But  it  was 
near  night  before  I  came  home,  and  so  I  did  not  answer  his 
desire  ;  but  I  heard  no  more  of  him  upon  that  account.  Whether 
my  not  answering  his  desire  did  not  offend  him,  I  cannot  tell  ; 
but  I  was  jealous,  afterwards,  that  it  did."  And  his  jealousy 
appears  to  have  gathered  strength  ;  for,  being  seized  by  certain 
terrible  pains,  so  that  he  "  was  like  a  man  on  a  rack,"  he  "says,  "  I 
told  my  wife  immediately  that  I  was  afraid  that  Willard  had  done 
me  wrong  ;  my  pain  continuing,  and  finding  no  relief,  my  jealousy 
continued.  Mr.  Lawson  and  others  there  were  all  amazed,  and 
knew  not  what  to  do  for  me.  There  was  a  woman  accounted 
skillful  came  hoping  to  help  me,  and  after  she  had  used  means, 
she  asked  me  whether  none  of  those  evil  persons  had  done  me 
damage.  I  said  I  could  not  say  they  had,  but  I  was  sore  afraid 
they  had.  She  answered  she  did  fear  so  too."  We  can  only 
account  for  this  cold  way  of  estimating  the  condu6l  of  a  near 
relative  who  himself  appears  to  have  been  intelligent  and  piously 
inclined,  and  who  died  upon  the  gallows  like  a  Christian  hero, 
through  the  prevailing  hallucination.  Whether  Mr.  Wilkins 
finally  came  to  view  the  matter  in  its  true  light  does  not  exactly 
appear  ;  but  his  minister,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Green,  remarks  :  "  He 
lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  saw  his  children's  children  and  their 
children,  and  peace  upon  our  little  Israel."  Many  respeftable 
families  in  various  parts  of  the  country  claim  descent  from  him. 

Willis,  Thomas,  the  first  resident  of  Tower  Hill.  He  was 
a  Representative  from  Lynn  in  the  first  General  Court.  See 
Annals,  1630,  and  other  early  dates. 


220         Biographical  Sketches.      JJ^ooc/.      U^o^vistead. 

Wood,  John,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  from  him 
Woodend  took  its  name.  See  Annals,  1629.  His  autograph  is 
among  those  on  the  Armitage  Petition,  page  106. 

Wood,  William,  Lynn's  earliest  delineator.  See  Annals, 
1629,  and  other  early  dates. 

WoRMSTEAD,  JoHN  B.,  A  privatecrsman  in  the  war  of  18 12. 
He  died  September  2,  1874,  aged  85.     See  Annals,  1874. 

Yawata  —  an  Indian  princess.  The  name  was  much  admired 
by  Mr.  Lewis.     See  History  of  Lynn,  1865  edition,  page  40. 


In  closing  our  Chapter  of  Biographical  Sketches,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  remark  that  the  aim  has  been  to  shadow  forth  the 
spirit  of  the  people  and  the  general  condition  of  things  here,  at 
different  periods  of  our  history.  For  this  end  individuals  living 
at  different  times  and  pursuing  diverse  walks  of  life  have  been 
introduced.  Possibly  some  critical  reader  may  think  of  other 
names  that  in  his  opinion  should  not  have  been  omitted.  But 
on  refleftion  he  may  perceive  a  reason  for  the  omission.  There 
is  something  more  to  be  considered  than  mere  present  popular- 
ity, as  that  may  rest  on  a  foundation  that  will  soon  crumble 
away.  We  are  far  from  claiming  that  our  judgment  in  these 
matters  is  perfe6l,  or  that  we  have  been  successful  in  carrying 
out  a  plan  in  itself  good.  But  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  individual 
who  has  not  done  something  for  the  benefit  of  a  community  has 
any  claim  to  be  remembered  in  that  community,  however  he 
may  have  thirsted  for  posthumous  fame  or  however  his  friends 
may  desire  his  canonization.  Yet  it  will  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
our  business  has  not  generally  been  so  much  with  the  individuals 
themselves  as  with  their  external  relations. 


MISCELLANEOUS    NOTES. 


"  Now  will  we  gather  up 
■  Stray  fragments  that  elucidate  our  story, 
The  breezy  freedom  of  past  years  commingling 

With  these  our  busy  times." 


In  the  present  Chapter  will  be  presented  a  variety  of  what 
may,  with  propriety  perhaps,  be  called  detached  matters  relating 
to  the  History  of  beloved  old  Lynn  ;  but  it  will  be  the  aim  to 
select  from  the  great  number  of  topics  that  will  naturally  offer 
themselves,  only  such  as  best  subserve  the  leading  purpose 
of  our  volume.  As  to  the  arrangement  of  subjects,  it  can  only 
be  said  that  it  will  be  somewhat  arbitrary,  as  it  would  be  difficult 
to  adhere  to  any  fixed  rule  ;  but  the  endeavor  will  be  to  make  it 
as  convenient  as  possible  for  the  reader,  who,  aided  by  the  index, 
will  not  be  at  a  loss  to  find  any  thing  of  importance  that  may 
come  under  notice. 


First  Projected  Rail-road.  In  1828  a  proposition  was 
made  to  construct  a  Rail-road  from  Boston  to  Salem  ;  and  a 
circular  was  sent  out  from  the  House  of  Representatives,  to 
various  towns  in  the  vicinity,  seeking  information  from  which 
a  judgment  could  be  formed  as  to  the  expediency  of  undertaking 
the  formidable  enterprise,  either  by  individuals  or  the  State. 
The  circular  sent  to  Lynn  was  addressed  to  the  editor  of  the 
Mirror,  and  was  responded  to  after  evidently  careful  investiga- 
tion and  consideration.  Without  rehearsing  the  congratulations 
on  the  then  existing  prosperity,  or  the  rosy  predictions  for  the 
future  of  Lynn  —  which  latter,  by  the  way,  have  been  fully  real- 

(221) 


222  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

ized  —  we  will  present  some  of  the  statements  touching  the  actual 
condition  of  certain  matters  of  business  here  at  that  period. 
Swampscott  and  Nahant,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  then  con- 
stituent parts  of  the  town. 

The  principal  manufacture  of  Lynn  is  shoes.  Of  these  it  appears  that  1.038. 189 
]Dairs  are  annually  made;  which  at  four  shillings  a  pair  will  amount  to  $692,126. 
These,  as  they  are  usually  packed,  will  fill  11.535  boxes  ;  the  transportation  of  which, 
at  one  shilling  a  box,  will  cost  $1,922.50.  It  is  considered  that  about  three  fourths 
of  the  above  amount  returns  to  Lynn  in  sole  leather  and  other  articles  for  the  manu- 
facture of  shoes,  in  English  and  West  India  goods,  and  other  merchandize  ;  the 
transportation  of  which  may  be  fairly  estimated  at  $5,768.  The  article  of  flour 
alone  —  2.500  barrels,  at  $6  a  barrel  —  would  amount  to  $15,000;  the  transportation 
of  which  would  cost  $750.  The  transportation  of  the  same  amount  in  shoes,  would 
cost  only  $41.67.  And  many  other  heavy  articles  will  bear  an  equal  proportion. 
The  transportation  of  a  barrel  of  flour  from  Boston  to  Lynn,  is  30  cents,  about  the 
same  as  the  conveyance  from  Baltimore  to  Boston. 

There  have  been  about  i.ooo  tons  of  fresh  fish,  and  50  tons  of  cured  fish,  conveyed 
on  the  Turnpike,  as  far  as  Charlestown,  during  the  past  year ;  the  transportation 
of  which,  at  twenty  shillings  a  ton,  amounts  to  $3,500.  Fifty  barrels  of  oil  have  also 
been  extracted,  the  transportation  of  which,  at  two  shillings  a  barrel,  cost  $16.66. 

The  other  articles  transported  on  the  Boston  route,  are  60  tons  of  hay,  70  tons 
of  chocolate,  26  tons  of  grain,  50  tons  of  cocoa,  20  tons  of  rice,  30  tons  of  ginger,  16 
tons  of  neat  hides,  12  tons  of  leather,  27  tons  of  goat  and  kid  skins,  85  tons  of  sumac, 
9  tons  of  iron,  36  tons  of  coal,  30  tons  of  barberry  root,  and  200  tons  of  marble  — 
making  in  all  671  tons;  the  transportation  of  which,  at  twenty  shillings  a  ton, 
amounts  to  $2,236.67.  Besides  these  a  large  amount  of  goods  is  annually  conveyed 
to  the  dye  house  and  [silk]  printing  establishment. 

The  average  number  of  passengers  is  about  eleven  each  day,  for  300  days  of  the 
year;  the  amount  of  whose  conveyance,  at  $1.25  each,  is  $4,125.  The  amount 
paid  by  Lynn  people,  for  tolls,  is  probably  about  $2,100. 

By  this  statement  it  appears  that  the  annual  expense  to  the  town  of  Lynn,  on  the 
Boston  route,  is  $19,668.33. 

The  amount  of  property  invested  in  baggage  wagons,  is  about  $4,000. 

The  small  amount  of  coal  brought  hither  at  that  time,  which 
was  when  anthracite  was  just  beginning  to  come  into  use  in  New 
England,  shows  how  exclusively  wood  was  still  in  use  for  fuel. 
And  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  a  large  portion  even  of  the 
thirty-six  tons  was  bituminous,  or  such  as  blacksmiths  use. 

What  will  most  surprise  the  reader,  however,  is  the  small 
number  of  passengers  from  Lynn  to  Boston  —  an  average  of 
eleven  daily,  and  that  when  our  population  was  6.000.  But  such 
of  us  as  remember  those  days  can  readily  understand  why  it  was 
so.  Excepting  here  and  there  a  prominent  business  man,  few 
went  to  Boston  more  than  once  or  twice  a  year  ;  many  not  more 
than  once  in  five  years  ;  and  had  it  continued  thus  to  this  day 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  223 

there  is  little  doubt  that  it  would  have  been  better  for  us,  in 
many  respects.  Are  we  not  too  much  on  the  wing  .''  "  Shopping," 
what  little  there  was,  was  done  in  town.  A  visit  to  the  city 
ordinarily  consumed  a  whole  day  and  the  expenses  of  the  journey 
were  very  much  greater  than  at  present,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
discomforts  of  the  public  conveyances.  The  few  leading  business 
men  who  went  up  once  or  twice  a  week  usually  had  their  own 
"  teams,"  and  often  took  in  a  neighbor,  who  would  pay  the  tolls 
and  horse-baiting.  The  anecdote  related  in  our  Annals,  under 
date  1847,  of  a  couple  of  business  worthies,  who  rode  to  Charles- 
town  bridge,  when  they  got  into  a  dispute  over  the  payment 
of  a  toll,  continuing  to  wrangle  all  day,  and  at  night  turning  about 
and  jogging  home  without  going  over,  has  reference  to  this 
custom  as  well  as  showing  the  obstinacy  of  the  actors  in  the  com- 
ical scene.  Then  there  were  others  —  some  even  of  the  smaller 
manufacturers  —  who  were  accustomed  to  go  on  foot,  getting  a 
lift,  perhaps,  part  of  the  way,  on  some  friendly  baggage  wagon. 

In  relation  to  steam  transportation,  it  may  be  stated  that  up 
to  1828,  no  steam-propelled  craft  had  ever  stirred  the  waters 
of  Lynn.  The  "  Ousatonic,"  well  remembered  as  a  steamer 
of  what  would  now  be  called  diminutive  size,  was  advertised  to 
visit  Lynn  on  Monday,  the  8th  of  September,  of  that  year,  ta 
take  a  party  out  on  an  excursion  among  the  islands  of  Boston 
harbor.  The  announcement  caused  a  real  sensation,  for  hardly 
any  one  had  seen  a  vessel  moved  by  that  mysterious  motive 
power ;  and  before  the  appointed  hour  an  eager  multitude  hast- 
ened to  every  point  of  observation,  some  even  posting  themselves 
on  house-tops.  But  no  steamer  came  on  that  day,  and  great  was 
the  disappointment,  which  manifested  itself  in  various  unsavory 
ways.  And  if  we  rightly  remember,  a  boat  did  not  come  till  the 
next  year. 

In  connection  with  the  above,  and  for  the  purpose  of  showing, 
what  great  expectations  were  raised  from  the  enlarged  use  of 
steam,  the  following  paragraph  which  exultingly  went  the  newspa- 
porial  round  of  that  propitious  year,  1828,  may  be  given  : 

"  Great  Despatch.  The  Benjamin  Franklin,  steamer,  made  her 
last  trip  from  New  York  to  Providence,  in  sixteen  hours.  She 
was  seventeen  minutes  at  Newport.  The  shortest  passage  ever 
made."     The  writer  made  a  passage  from   Providence  to  New 


224 


Miscellaneous   Notes. 


York,  in  the  "  palatial  "  steamer  President,  in  the  summer  of  1829, 
in  what  was  then  considered  the  very  quick  time  of  eighteen 
hours,  the  sea  being  calm  and  the  weather  beautiful. 


RICHARD   HAVEN,    OR    HART,    HOUSE. 


The  above  is  a  faithful  picture  of  a  very  ancient  house,  which 
was  owned  by  Richard  Haven,  who  settled  here  as  early  as  1640. 
In  later  years  it  was  known  as  the  Hart  house,  the  last  occupant 
of  the  name  being  Joseph  Hart,  a  farmer,  who  died  in  1806. 
It  was  taken  down,  transported  to  Reservoir  Hill,  and  there 
consumed  in  a  sort  of  sacrifical  bonfire  on  the  morning  of  the 
Centennial  Day  of  the  Republic  —  July  4,  1876.  It  stood  on 
the  south-west  corner  of  Boston  and  North  Federal  streets  ;  and 
it  may  be  mentioned,  in  passing,  was  the  birth-place  of  the 
writer — if  that  is  a  circumstance  of  interest  to  any  one.  The 
large  tree  in  front  was  a  buttonwood,  and  in  the  great  gale  of  1 8 1 5, 
as  the  individual  just  alluded  to  well  remembers,  had  its  top 
blown  off,  while  he  was  gazing  from  the  lower  window  on  the  right. 
The  singular  out-branching  of  the  new  growth,  as  represented  in 
the  cut,  followed  the  disaster  of  the  gale.  This  venerable  tree 
was  cut  down  in  1881. 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  225 

In  the  Lynn  Reporter  of  July  8,  1876,  appeared  the  following 
editorial  account  of  the  holocaust.  There  is  a  mistake  as  to  the 
builder  of  the  house,  which  is  corrected  in  the  foregoing  para- 
graph, and  it  was  older  than  the  editor  supposed,  the  western 
portion  at  least  having  been  built  before  Mr.  Hart's  time. 

That  "  Beacon  Light."  Whatever  points  Lynn  may  have  fallen  behind  in  as 
to  the  celebration  of  the  Fourth,  she  may  fairly  claim  the  honor  of  making  the  most 
remarkable  bonfire  in  this  section,  in  honor  of  its  centennial  opening.  And  thus  it 
happened : 

Samuel  Hart  was  one  of  our  early  settlers,  and  built  a  house  on  Boston  street, 
about  1670.  His  descendants  always  held  and  occupied  the  place  down  to  Hon. 
James  R.  Newhall,  who  stands  in  the  direct  line  on  the  mother's  side.  Now  the 
house,  so  very  old,  was  greatly  dilapidated  and  not  worth  repairs.  As  it  was  then 
determined  to  remove  it,  it  was  sold  at  auction  last  week  for  a  nominal  sum,  —  ten  or 
fifteen  dollars,  —  and  with  the  consent  of  Judge  Newhall,  given  to  the  young  men 
of  West  Lynn  for  a  burnt-offering  at  the  nation's  jubilee.  At  it  they  went,  at  dusk  on 
Saturday  evening,  and  before  morning  every  scrap  and  stick  was  torn  down  and 
teamed,  load  after  load,  to  the  tip-top  of  Pine  Hill,  two  hundred  feet  high,  and  in 
plain  sight  of  the  country  for  miles  away,  in  all  directions.  Before  Monday  night 
the  whole  was  solidly  packed  in  a  great  pyramid,  near  forty  feet  high,  firmly  stayed 
and  bound,  including  several  barrels  of  tar  and  kerosene,  and  one  cask  at  least 
of  benzine  cement.  During  the  evening,  the  pile  was  freely  drenched  with  waterpots 
of  kerosene,  and  as  "the  hour  of  midnight  tolled,"  it  was  lighted  on  two  or  three 
sides  at  once,  amid  the  wildest  cheers  of  a  great  crowd,  and  the  rapid  reports  of  fire- 
arms, great  and  small.  A  more  glorious  blaze  is  rarely  seen.  Even  under  the  clear 
moonlight  the  glare  was  most  intense.  The  old  timbers  burned  and  burned,  and  at 
eight  next  morning  were  yet  blazing.  And  such  was  the  end  of  the  homestead  of  two 
hundred  years  ;  it  flamed  up  to  heaven  at  last  to  honor  the  celebration  of  American 
liberty  and  independence.  Where  else  did  they  do  any  thing  more  significant 
than  this  ? 

The  hill  on  which  the  bonfire  took  place,  is  the  highest  point 
back  of  the  house,  as  shown  in  the  picture,  and  the  highest  point 
in  Lynn.  It  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  feet  in  height,  and 
distant  about  three  fourths  of  a  mile.  Second  Pine  Hill  was 
the  name  by  which  the  range  of  which  it  forms  a  part  was 
formerly  known  ;  but  after  the  construction  of  the  City  Reser- 
voir, on  the  northern  slope,  this  summit  began  to  be  called 
Reservoir  Hill. 

The  "  Old  Indian,"  an  enormous  red  cedar,  stood  within  a  few 
rods  of  the  spot  whereon  the  bonfire  was  kindled.  This  tree 
was  a  marked  object  for  generations,  as  it  towered  above  all  its 
forest  neighbors,  its  blanched  limbs  stretching  out  above  their 
heads,  in  patriarchal  dignity.  Its  age  must  have  been  very 
great ;  and  judging  from  its  appearance,  one  might  well  accept 

IS 


226  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

as  true  the  assertion  that  long  before  the  white  settlers  came 
it  was  a  guide  for  the  Indian  skiffs  that  skimmed  about  in  the 
offing.  When  it  yielded  to  the  ruthless  woodsman's  ax,  which 
was  quite  within  the  writer's  recollection,  it  seemed  as  if  one 
of  the  few  remaining  links  that  bound  our  dispensation  to  that 
of  the  red  man,  had  been  severed. 


Slaves.  There  were  in  Lynn,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Revolution,  twenty-six  slaves.  There  had  been  a  few  from  very 
early  times ;  but  they  were  most  numerous  throughout  the 
Province,  in  1745.  In  1754,  there  were  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  in  Essex  County,  and  in  all  Massachusetts,  four  thousand, 
four  hundred  and  eighty-nine.  In  1774  the  General  Court  passed 
a  bill  prohibiting  the  importation  of  Slaves,  but  Governor  Gage 
withheld  his  assent.  The  State  Constitution  was  established 
in  1780.  The  first  article  of  the  Declaration  of  Rights  asserts 
that  all  men  are  born  free  and  equal ;  and  this  was  generally 
supposed  to  have  reference  to  slavery  ;  but  it  was  a  point  on 
which  there  was  by  no  means  unanimity  of  opinion.  In  1781, 
however,  at  a  court  in  Worcester,  an  indictment  was  found  against 
a  white  man  for  assaulting,  beating,  and  imprisoning  a  black. 
The  case  finally,  in  1783,  went  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the 
defense  was  that  the  black  was  a  slave,  and  the  beating,  &c.,  the 
necessary  and  lawful  correction  of  the  master.  But  the  defense 
was  declared  invalid.  And  this  decision  was  the  death-blow  to 
slavery  in  Massachusetts.  In  later  years,  when  the  resolute 
movement  for  the  extinction  of  slavery  throughout  the  land, 
commenced,  Lynn  manifested  becoming  zeal  in  the  cause  ;  and 
among  the  most  efficient  workers  was  Mr.  Lewis  ;  whose  zeal, 
however,  seemed  somewhat  to  abate  as  age  advanced.  But  yet, 
for  his  efforts  in  the  incipient  stages  of  the  noble  cause,  he  was 
worthy  of  greater  praise  than  many  of  those  who  at  the  eleventh 
hour  and  from  less  disinterested  motives  pushed  noisily  to  the  front. 


John  Dunton,  the  London  bookseller,  who  visited  Lynn  in 
1686,  as  mentioned  in  our  Annals,  under  date  1635,  was  married, 
at  an  early  age,  to  Elizabeth  Annesley  ;  and  a  sister  of  hers  who 
married  Samuel  Wesley,  became  mother  of  the  celebrated  John 
Wesley.     They  were  daughters  of  Dr.  Samuel  Annesley,  a  dis- 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  227 

senting  minister.  Dunton  seems  not  to  have  entertained  the 
most  friendly  feelings  toward  his  brother-in-law,  as  he  says,  "  Sam 
Wesley  has  fouled  his  nest  in  hopes  of  a  bishoprick."  It  might 
be  interesting  to  know  what  connection,  if  any,  the  blasted  hopes 
of  the  father,  touching  the  bishopric,  had  with  shaping  the  reli- 
gious course  of  the  son. 


Speaker  Onslow.  On  page  490  of  the  1865  edition  of  the 
History  of  Lynn,  mention  is  made  of  Governor  Hutchinson's 
comparing  Speaker  John  Burrill,  of  Lynn,  with  Speaker  Onslow, 
of  the  British  House  of  Commons.  There  were  two  Speakers 
of  the  House  of  Commons,  named  Onslow  —  Sir  Richard,  elected 
in  the  seventh  year  of  Queen  Anne.  1708,  and  Sir  Arthur, 
in  the  first  year  of  King  George  HI.,  1727.  They  were  both 
eminent  presiding  officers,  and  extremely  watchful  of  the  dignity 
of  the  House.  It  is  related  that  Col,  Fitzroy,  afterwards  Lord 
Southampton,  when  on  one  occasion  reprimanded  for  making  a 
late  appearance,  excused  himself  by  saying  that  he  had  been 
detained  by  attendance  on  the  King.  Speaker  Onslow,  in  a  loud 
voice  and  authoritative  manner,  replied,  "  Sir,  do  n't  tell  me  of 
waiting ;  this  is  your  place  to  attend  in  ;  here  is  your  first  duty.'^ 


Lynn,  in  1750  and  in  18 17.  A  New  York  merchant  who 
travelled  east,  in  1750,  says  he  put  up  at  Mr.  Ward's,  in  "  Lyn, 
which  is  a  small  Country  Town  of  ab'  200  Houses,  very  pleas- 
antly situated,  &  affords  a  Beautifull  Rural  Prospect."  He 
arrived  at  about  one  o'clock,  "  and  dynd  on  fryd  Codd."  After 
dinner,  being  refreshed  by  a  glass  of  wine,  he  pursued  his  journey 
to  Salem,  "  through  a  barren,  rocky  country,"  and  the  next  day, 
after  visiting  Marblehead,  returned  to  Boston,  stopping  again  at 
Mr.  Ward's,  in  Lynn,  where  he  "dyned  upon  a  fine  mongrel 
goose." 

In  181 7,  John  Palmer,  of  King's  Lynn,  England,  while  on  his 
travels  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  an  account  of  which  he 
afterwards  published,  in  London,  found  occasion  thus  to  speak 
of  our  vicinity  :  "  After  crossing  [September  1 1]  a  bridge  which 
joins  Charlestown  to  Chelsea,  another  small  suburb,  we  found 
the  road  very  excellent,  carried  on  for  some  miles  through  salt 
marshes  where  the  hay  stacks  are  all  placed  on  frames  to  prevent 


228  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

their  being  damaged  by  high  tides,  which  sometimes  overflow 
the  level.  We  passed  through  the  town  of  Lynn,  noted  for  its 
extensive  manufacture  of  elegant  silk  and  cloth  shoes.  Morse 
gives  the  number  made  in  1795  at  300.000  pairs,  and  in  1802 
computes  them  to  amount  to  400.000  pairs.  At  present,  I  am 
told,  the  trade  is  on  the  decline,  the  spirit  of  emigration  having 
seized  many  of  the  apprentices  and  journeymen.  Lynn  contains 
four  or  five  thousand  inhabitants,  but  presents  little  appearance 
of  compactness.  As  is  common  in  the  United  States,  the  houses 
are  spread  over  a  wide  tract  of  ground.  Leaving  Lynn  [and 
proceeding  towards  Salem]  the  remainder  of  the  journey  is 
through  a  rocky  country." 

The  barren  aspect  of  the  country  between  Lynn  and  Salem, 
noticed  by  these  travellers,  though  somewhat  improved  in  our 
day,  yet  furnishes  evidence  that  they  were  observing  chroniclers. 
The  pestiferous  wood-wax  is  now  an  added  annoyance. 


First  Corn  from  the  West.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  summer  of  18 16  is  stated  to  have  been  remarkably  cold,  in 
New  England,  that  very  little  corn  ripened,  that  there  was  a 
frost  in  every  month  of  the  year,  and  that  snow  fell  in  June.  In 
connection  with  this  it  may  be  interesting  to  state  that  Captain 
James  Mudge,  of  Lynn,  during  the  year,  brought  to  Boston,  from 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  the  brig  Cincinnatus,  a  cargo  of  corn  in  the 
ear.  This  was  the  first  sea-going  vessel  ever  built  in  Cincinnati, 
and  so  lively  was  the  interest  felt,  that  many  in  different  parts 
of  New  England  went  to  considerable  pains  to  procure  an  ear 
of  the  corn  to  preserve  as  a  memento  of  the  enterprise.  The 
vessel  was  built  in  18 14,  by  John  Brooks,  an  emigrant  from  Maine. 


Singular  Record,  The  following  remarkable  entry  appears 
on  the  public  records  of  Lynn :  "  Married,  Daniel  Cowing  to 
Mary  Bovvers,  Dec.  25,  1764,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Adams.  Said  Cowing 
took  the  s^  Mary  naked,  except  a  sheet  &  shift  that  she  borrowed." 
Rev.  Mr.  Adams  was  minister  of  the  Lynnfield  parish.  Proba- 
bly the  bride  appeared  in  that  condition  under  the  apprehension 
that  if  she  brought  nothing  to  her  husband  he  could  not  be 
held  responsible  for  any  existing  debt  of  hers.  But  why  might 
she  not  have  borrowed  a  gown  as  well  as  the  other  articles  ? 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  229 

Records  of  Lynn.  In  the  preservation  of  her  earliest 
records  Lynn  has  been  unfortunate.  Yet  it  is  probable  that 
for  many  years  they  were  kept  in  a  manner  so  loose  and  imper- 
fect as  to  have  been  hardly  worth  preserving,  as  a  whole,  though 
they  undoubtedly  contained  some  things  that  should  have  en- 
sured their  safe  custody.  The  county  records,  however,  supply, 
in  the  form  of  deeds,  wills,  inventories,  depositions,  and  so  forth,  a 
great  portion  of  the  information  the  loss  of  which  would  be  most 
seriously  felt.  For  instance  :  among  the  county  files  may  be 
found  the  copy  made  by  Andrew  Mansfield,  of  the  land  allot- 
ments of  1638. 

The  earliest  regular  town  records  now  in  existence  commence 
in  1 69 1.  But  there  was  an  order  passed  in  171 5  requiring  that 
some  of  the  previous  records,  then  in  a  dilapidated  condition, 
should  be  transcribed  ;  and  the  order  was  complied  with  to  the 
extent  of  a  few  pages,  it  having  been  left  to  the  selectmen  to 
carry  it  out  in  such  manner  as  they  thought  best.  The  copies 
relate  to  matters  as  far  back  as  1661. 

The  little  volumes  of  records  of  "  Marriages,  Births  and 
Deaths  in  the  Town  of  Lynn,"  with  the  exception  of  the  first, 
are  yet  in  the  custody  of  the  city  clerk  ;  and  in  the  title-page 
of  the  second,  is  this  note:  "The  first  volume  is  lost.  In  1820 
I  found  this  volume  in  ruins,  bound  it  and  furnished  it  with  an 
index.  Preserve  it  carefully.  Alonzo  Lewis."  These  volumes 
contain  quite  a  number  of  what  are  called  "  genealogies "  of 
the  old  families,  and  are  very  useful,  in  many  cases,  in  tracing 
pedigrees  ;  but  they  are  not  free  from  errors  ;  and  the  details 
are  frequently  so  imperfect  and  involved  as  to  occasion  doubt 
and  perplexity.  Much  difficulty  arises  from  the  identity  of  names, 
as  middle  ones  were  then  seldom  used.  At  one  time,  for  instance 
there  were  eight  persons  here  of  the  name  James  Newhall, 
not  one  having  a  middle  name,  but  each  relying  for  his  identity 
upon  some  nickname  benevolently  bestowed  by  his  neighbors  ; 
marks  of  distinction,  however,  which  could  not  appear  on  the 
public  records.  These  "  genealogical "  records  have  been  copied 
into  a  proper  book,  with  an  alphabetically  arranged  index,  which 
adds  greatly  to  the  facility  for  examination  ;  but  the  copying 
afforded  an  opportunity,  not  altogether  unimproved,  to  add  to 
the  errors  of  the  originals. 


230  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

It  need  not  be  added  that  ever  since  Lynn  became  a  city,  her 
records  have  been  kept  in  the  most  careful  manner  ;  and  indeed 
for  many  years  before  the  adoption  of  the  Charter,  there  was 
little  reason  to  complain  of  the  competency  or  faithfulness  of  our 
recording  clerks. 

The  First  Parish  records  extend  back  only  to  172 1-2  ;  and 
they  are  the  earliest  church  records  that  have  been  preserved.      rt 

li 

Matrimonial  Finesse.  In  our  biographical  sketch  of  Mr. 
Lewis,  in  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn,  an  "interme- 
diate" matrimonial  companion  is  spoken  of.  The  romantic 
affair  of  the  supposed  valid  second  marriage  was  the  occasion 
of  much  comment  among  his  friends.  He  unquestionably  died 
without  a  doubt  that  she  had,  at  the  time  of  the  separation,  a 
former  husband  living,  whatever  his  suspicions  may  have  been 
as  to  some  of  her  other  and  more  equivocal  declarations.  About 
fourteen  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Lewis,  however,  the 
writer  was  informed  by  a  worthy  priest  of  the  Catholic  church, 
that  he  had  received  a  letter  from  the  lady  herself,  who  was  then 
in  London,  informing  him  of  her  conversion  to  the  Romish  faith, 
and  confessing  that  the  story  of  her  previous  marriage  was  a 
fiction,  framed  by  herself  for  the  purpose  of  severing  her  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  Lewis,  under  whose  "  gentle  control "  she  had 
become  restive.  If  this  was  true,  she  must  have  had  a  confed- 
erate in  the  person  of  a  young  man,  for  a  marital  claimant 
certainly  did  appear  here  in  Lynn.  Mr.  Lewis  himself,  in  con- 
siderable perturbation  one  morning  informed  the  writer  that  he 
had  just  had  an  interview  with  such  a  one  and  requested  some 
friendly  interposition  for  the  settlement  of  the  unpleasant  affair. 
A  young  literary  flirt  does  not  usually  prove  the  most  suitable 
conjugal  companion  for  a  staid  citizen  of  advanced  years.  His 
age  was  fifty-six,  and  hers  seventeen,  at  the  time  of  the  marriage, 
as  the  hymeneal  notice  in  the  newspapers  stated. 


Siamese  Twins.  It  was  in  1831  that  the  famous  Siamese 
twins,  Chang  and  Eng,  so  mysteriously  united  in  person,  were 
first  exhibited  in  this  vicinity.  During  the  warm  season  of  that 
year  they  were  for  a  short  time  rusticating  in  Lynnfield,  and 
while  out  on  a  gunning  excursion,  one  day,  became  so  irritated 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  231 

by  being  followed  and  stared  at,  by  men  and  boys,  that  they 
committed  a  breach  of  the  peace,  were  taken  before  a  magis- 
trate's court,  and  put  under  bonds.  It  came  near  becoming  a 
serious  question  how  one  could  be  punished  by  imprisonment, 
should  it  come  to  that,  if  the  other  were  innocent.  The  difficulty 
vanished,  however,  when  it  appeared  that  both  were  guilty. 
They  died  in  North  Carolina,  in  the  winter  of  1873,  within  two 
hours  of  each  other,  aged  63  years. 


Funeral  Expenses.  Much  has  been  said,  of  late,  and  with 
justice,  concerning  the  extravagance  so  commonly  indulged  in, 
on  the  burial  of  the  dead.  The  expenditures  for  casket,  floral 
decorations,  carriages,  and  so  forth,  have  become  really  burden- 
some to  persons  of  limited  income.  Many  seem  to  think  it  mean 
not  to  follow  the  fashion  in  these  matters,  and  mean  also  to  dis- 
pute any  charge  of  those  who  furnish  the  appliances,  however 
exorbitant  such  charge  may  be.  But  does  not  a  sentiment 
very  different  from  love  for  the  departed  or  grief  for  one's  own 
loss,  rule  here?  Certainly  it  is  not  in  ostentatious  display  that 
the  grieved  heart  most  naturally  seeks  relief  Of  course  we  all 
realize  that  no  good  can  come  to  the  departed  by  glitter  and 
parade,  however  costly  they  may  be.  Nor  can  they  heal  affec- 
tion's deeper  wounds.  It  would  be  truly  lamentable  if  the 
time  should  ever  come  when  heart-relieving  ceremonials  were 
dispensed  with  at  the  burial  of  the  dead  ;  but  garish  pomp  is  but 
fast  fading  drapery  about  a  grave. 

In  early  New  England  times  the  dead  were  committed  to  their 
last  resting  places  with  very  little  ceremony  beyond  the  proces- 
sion of  mourning  friends  ;  the  coffin  was  rude  ;  and  seldom  was 
a  prayer  offered,  an  omission,  however,  that  probably  arose  from 
anxiety  to  avoid  any  thing  that  approached  the  popish  custom 
of  praying  for  the  dead.  But  before  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century,  new  and  strange  customs  began  to  appear,  and  expendi- 
tures were  made  for  purposes  more  reprehensible  than  any 
extravagance  of  this  day.  Indeed  funerals  were  sometimes  made 
seasons  of  jollification.  Especially  when  the  deceased  was  a 
minister  or  other  prominent  personage,  spirituous  liquors  were 
provided,  and  gloves  and  rings  presented.  And  these  customs 
prevailed  to  some  extent  even  down  to  times  within  the  memory 


232  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

of  persons  now  living-.     Here  is  a  copy  of  the  charges  incurred  at 
the  burial  of  Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  of  Reading,  in  1733  : 

£  s.    d. 

To  Thomas  Eaton,  for  provisions, 2     10 

Nathaniel  Eaton,  for  fetching  up  the  wine,  .  .  .  .0150 
Lt.  Nathaniel  Parker,  for  5  qts.  Rhom  [rum],  .  .  .  080 
Samuel  Poole,  for  digging  Mr.  Brown's  grave,        .        .        .080 

Landlord  Wesson,  for  Rhom  [rum], o  10    6 

Wm.  Cow^dry,  for  making  the  coffin, 0150 

Andrew  Tyler,  of  Boston,  6  gold  rings  for  funeral,  .  .  10  18  o 
Benj.  Fitch,  of  Boston,  Gloves,  etc.,         .        .        .        .  17    o    o 

Mrs.  Martha  Brown,  for  wine  furnished,  .  .  .  *  500 
Eben  Storer,  of  Boston,  sundries, 800 

Total, 45     15     6 

Until  a  comparatively  recent  period  the  burial  places  in 
the  rural  districts  of  New  England  were  generally  neglected 
spots,  overgrown  with  rank  weeds  and  all  manner  of  unseemly 
vegetation.  And  we  cannot  fail  to  rejoice  that  these  unsightly 
enclosures  are  fast  giving  place  to  beautiful  cemeteries,  whose 
graceful  adornments  are  a  perpetual  delight  to  the  meditative 
mourner.  The  simple  monument  that  records  the  name  and 
virtues  of  a  dear  departed  one,  however  inexpensive  or  rude  it 
may  be,  will  long  out-last  the  memory  of  any  pomp  or  ceremonial 
that  may  have  attended  the  committal  of  the  body  to  the  earth. 


Specie  Transportation.  John  Adams,  afterwards  President 
of  the  United  States,  but  then  a  young  lawyer,  travelling  his 
circuit,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  mentions,  under  date  Nov.  3, 
1766,  having  "  oated  "  at  Martin's  —  the  celebrated  old  Anchor 
Tavern,  in  what  is  now  East  Saugus  — on  his  way  to  attend  the 
court  at  Salem.  And  returning,  a  few  days  after,  he  again  "  oated  " 
at  Martin's,  "  where  we  saw,"  he  adds,  "  five  boxes  of  dollars, 
containing,  as  we  were  told,  about  eighteen  thousand  of  them, 
going  in  a  horse-cart  from  Salem  Custom  House  to  Boston,  in 
order  to  be  shipped  for  England.  A  guard  of  armed  men,  with 
swords,  hangers,  pistols  and  muskets  attended." 


Value  of  a  Shirt,  in  1729.  There  was  a  complaint  made 
by  Benjamin  Newhall,  of  Lynn,  before  Theophilus  Burrill,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  in  behalf  of  His  Majesty,  the  King,  "That 
whereas  some  evil  minded  person,  contrary  to  the  peace  of  our 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  233 

Sovereign  Lord  the  King  and  the  laws  of  his  Majesty's  Province 
of  Massachusetts,  did  on  or  upon  the  28th  day  of  this  Instant 
month  of  December,  1729,  (being  the  Lord's  day)  steale,  purloine, 
or  Take  and  karry  a  way  a  new  Shirtt  of  your  Complainant's  ffit 
for  a  Small  Bodyed  man.  Either  out  of  the  new  Dwelling  hous 
where  s^  complainantt  Lives,  or  verry  neare  there  to,  which 
Shirt  was  made  of  cotton  and  Linning  cloath,  a  middling  sort 
of  cloath,  valued  at  about  Twelve  Shillings,  and  Doth  Wehemently 
Suspect,"  &c,  A  search  warrant  was  issued,  but  it  does  not 
appear  whether  the  property  was  recovered.  The  "  new  Dwelling 
hous,"  it  is  presumed,  was  the  two-story  wooden  house,  known  as 
the  Hallowell  house,  still  standing  on  North  Common  street,  two 
or  three  rods  east  of  the  old  Episcopal  church. 


First  Directory  of  Lynn.  Early  in  1832  the  writer  pur- 
chased of  Charles  F.  Lummus,  the  first  Lynn  printer,  the  little 
office  which  he  had  been  running  for  about  six  years,  and  running 
to  such  disadvantage  that  he  had  run  out  the  small  means  with 
which  he  commenced.  It  was  the  first  printing  office  in  Lynn, 
and  very  poorly  supplied  with  material.  By  the  sale,  Mr.  Lum- 
mus found  himself  out  of  employment  ;  and  though  not  inclined 
to  excessive  industry,  his  circumstances  required  that  he  should 
not  remain  in  idleness.  He  was  about  thirty  years  of  age,  a 
bachelor,  and  a  boarder  at  Lynn  Hotel,  at  that  time  perhaps  the 
most  genteel  boarding  place  in  the  town.  His  habits  were  good, 
and  his  expenses  small. 

In  casting  about,  under  these  ciicumstances,  for  something  to 
turn  his  hand  to,  he  conceived  the  project  of  compiling  a  Direc- 
tory, the  population  then  numbering  about  6.200.  A  short  season 
of  pleasant  work  would  by  such  means  be  afforded,  as  in  collect- 
ing the  information  and  procuring  subscribers,  he  could  travel 
about  in  pleasant  weather,  gossip  with  all  sorts  of  people,  and 
suspend  labor  when  he  felt  inclined.  He  knew  every  body,  every 
body  knew  him,  and  there  were  few  who  would  not  cordially  greet 
him,  and  render  such  assistance  as  was  in  their  power.  So  the 
work  went  on.  When  the  information  was  gathered  and  the 
subscribers  obtained  the  printing  was  to  be  done.  There  was 
no  office  in  Lynn  with  sufficient  type  of  a  suitable  kind,  and  he 
made  an  arrangement  with  an  establishment  in  Boston.     He  did 


234  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

the  type-setting  himself,  and  as  might  have  been  expected  the 
work  did  not  proceed  with  remarkable  vigor.  However,  it  was 
a  new  thing,  and  the  subscribers,  not  knowing  exactly  what  they 
had  a  right  to  expect,  did  not  manifest  much  impatience. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May  the  Directory  made  its  appearance. 
It  was  in  the  shape  of  a  duodecimo  of  seventy-two  pages,  was  in 
paper  covers,  contained  the  variety  of  information  usually  found 
in  works  of  the  kind,  was  as  accurate  as  it  could  well  be  made, 
and  on  the  whole  was  quite  creditable.  But  in  a  pecuniary  way 
it  was  not  much  of  a  success,  for  Mr,  Lummus  afterwards  told 
the  writer  that  he  realized  only  enough  to  make  scanty  day  wages 

Such  is  a  history  of  the  first  Directory  of  Lynn,  copies  of  which 
may  yet  occasionally  be  found  in  some  of  the  older  homes. 
As  the  first  printer  of  Lynn,  and  the  compiler  of  her  first  Direc- 
tory, the  name  of  Mr.  Lummus  will  survive  long  after  many  who 
were  more  successful  in  "  heaping  up  riches  "  are  forgotten. 


Election  Day.  To  some  of  our  elder  people  the  mention 
of  this  now  unnoticed  anniversary  will  call  up  recollections  of  a 
peculiar  character.  The  ancient  Colony  Charter  ordained  "  That 
yearely,  once  in  the  yeare  forever  hereafter,  namely,  the  last 
Wednesday  in  Easter  tearme  yeareley,  the  Governo'',  Deputy 
Governo'',  and  Assistants  of  the  said  Company,  and  all  other 
officers  of  the  said  Company  shalbe,  in  the  Generall  Court  or 
Assembly  to  be  held  for  that  day  or  tyme,  newly  chosen  for  the 
yeare  ensueing  by  such  greater  part  of  the  said  Company  for  the 
tyme  being  then  and  there  present." 

Thus  it  was  that  the  last  Wednesday  of  May  became  the 
famous  Election  Day,  During  many  of  its  latter  years  the 
period  was  more  commonly  called  "  'lection  time"  for  the  last 
four  days  of  the  week  were  embraced  in  the  popular  observance. 
And  it  was  not  till  1831,  that  the  day  so  long  noted  above  almost 
any  other,  was  compelled,  through  a  constitutional  amendment, 
to  fall  back  into  the  ranks  of  unnoted  days.  The  worthy  old 
legislators  evidently  considered  this  annually  recurring  election 
of  their  chief  officers,  a  matter  of  very  grave  importance,  fearing, 
no  doubt,  that  their  liberties  might  be  endangered  by  such 
abuses  as  they  had  seen  arise  from  longer  official  terms,  and 
from  modes  of  appointment  in  which  the  great  body  of  the  people 


Miscellaneous  Notes,  235 

■were  not  allowed  to  participate.  Their  anxious  watchfulness 
may  be  seen  all  along.  At  a  General  Court  held  in  1639,  ^^^^ 
matter  was  treated  in  this  manner :  "  It  is  solemly  &  vnanimosly 
decreed  &  established,  that  henceforth  vpon  the  day  or  dayes 
appointed  by  our  patent  to  hold  o""  yearely  Court  for  the  election 
of  our  Governo'',  Deputy  Governo'',  Assistants  &  other  generall 
officers,  being  the  last  Wednesday  of  every  Easter  tearme,  that 
the  ffreemen  of  this  iurisdiction  shall  either  in  person  or  by 
proxie,  w'^out  any  sumons,  attend  &  consumate  the  elections.  .  . 
As  for  the  place  of  publike  assembling,  it  shalbee  wher  the 
pceeding  Court  of  Elections  was  held,  vnlesse  then  &  there  some 
other  place  shalbee  assigned.  TJiis  acte  of  o^s  wee  conceive  so 
nearely  to  concerne  the  good  of  this  coicntry  that  we  earnestly 
intreate  it  may  never  be  7'epealed  by  any  future  Courted 

This  last  sentence  we  put  in  italic  for  the  purpose  of  empha- 
sizing the  admonition  evidently  intended.  And  it  is  agreeable 
to  be  able  to  remark  that  essentially  the  principle  so  urged  by 
our  sagacious  forefathers  became  so  interwoven  with  the  very 
texture  of  our  political  economy  that  it  has  never  yet  ceased  to 
work  for  good. 

Why  the  popular  observance  of  Election  Day  should  have 
taken  the  turn  it  finally  did,  is  a  mystery.  Our  younger  people 
can  have  little  conception  of  the  style  of  entertainment  and 
diversion  by  which  it  was  characterized.  It  was  not  like  Fast, 
Decoration,  Independence,  or  Thanksgiving  day.  Exactly  how 
it  was  observed  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  we  cannot 
tell  ;  but  how  it  was  during  the  first  quarter  of  the  present 
century  many  now  living  can  attest,  and  surely  will  agree  that 
in  view  of  its  moral  influence,  it  was  not  abolished  any  too 
soon. 

It  was  pleasant  to  see  the  young  men  and  maidens  arrayed 
in  their  new  "  election  suits,"  promenading  with  smiling  faces, 
and  joining  in  woodland  pic^nics,  or  in  merry  household  gather- 
ings. And  the  decorations  from  the  abundant  floral  provision 
of  the  season,  were  always  to  be  admired.  The  "  election  cake," 
too,  so  spicy  and  so  glossy,  which  was  provided  in  every  house, 
with  the  slightly  stimulating  but  not  inebriating  diet-drink  made 
glad  the  young  hearts.  But  the  egg-nog,  the  flip,  the  muddy 
ale,   and  other  fight-inspiring  drinks  that  freely  flowed   in   the 


236  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

public  dance  houses,  were  the  occasion  of  such  irregularities,  as 
happily  have  no  match  in  these  days.  There  were  dance  houses 
in  various  neighborhoods,  notably  one  known  as  "  Old  Willis's," 
at  North  Bend,  where  dissipated  men  and  lewd  women  assembled 
to  spend  the  day  and  night  in  disgraceful  revelry.  It  is  hard  to 
tell  how  such  disreputable  proceedings  originated,  for  there  was 
certainly  nothing  inherent  in  the  original  purpose  to  produce  them. 

For  many  of  its  latter  years,  the  day  was  popularly  known  as 
"  Nigger  Election,"  which  questionable  appellation  was  given,  as 
some  have  supposed,  to  distinguish  it  from  Artillery  Election, 
which  occurred  on  the  first  Monday  in  June,  and  which  still 
holds  its  place  in  the  calendar.  But  the  true  reason  for  its  having 
been  so  called  no  doubt  was  that  so  long  as  slavery  existed 
in  Massachusetts,  our  colored  brethren  —  who  were  allowed  by 
their  masters  an  annual  vacation  of  four  days,  beginning  with 
the  day  on  which  the  General  Court  made  their  elections  —  were 
accustomed  then,  in  imitation  of  their  masters,  to  assemble  on 
Boston  Common  or  in  some  other  convenient  place,  and  proceed 
to  elect  rulers  from  their  own  ranks  ;  or  rather  imitation  rulers, 
rulers  without  authority  and  without  subjects.  They  engaged 
in  their  sportive  political  ceremonies  with  a  keen  relish,  the 
more  so,  perhaps  from  having  no  real  interest  to  be  anxious  about, 
and  wound  up  with  scenes  of  unlimited  jollity.  And  the  whole 
of  their  vacation  was  marked  by  excesses  such  as  might  be 
expected  from  a  class  so  ignorant  and  so  excitable  when  freed 
from  restraint  ;  for  the  masters  did  not  interfere  till  the  utmost 
verge  of  decency  had  been  reached,  good-naturedly  submitting 
to  the  hard  hits  levelled  against  themselves,  and  possibly  profit- 
ing a  little  by  some  shrewd  allusion.  Perhaps  these  excesses 
of  the  negroes  gave  rise  to  the  vile  manner  in  which  the  season 
was  observed  by  the  lower  class  of  some  of  our  own  complexion  ; 
and  perhaps,  also,  "  election  time "  extended  to  four  days,  in 
accordance  with  the  limit  of  the  vacation  allowed  the  slaves. 
Pompey,  a  slave  belonging  to  Daniel  Mansfield,  of  Lynn,  who  is 
referred  to  on  page  198  of  this  volume,  and  who  is  stated  to  have 
been  a  prince  in  his  native  land,  appears  to  have  had  regal  honors 
bestowed  upon  him,  though  destitute  both  of  subjects  and  au- 
thority. 

As  has  before  appeared,  the  Court  of  Elections  was  abolished 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  237 

in  1831  ;  and  then,  of  course,  "election  time"  ceased  to  be 
observed.  We  have  seen  what  indulgences  characterized  its  latter 
days.  And  it  may  not  be  impertinent  to  ask  if  there  are  not 
other  seasons  which  are  now  observed  in  a  manner  quite  as 
inconsistent  with  the  original  purpose,  if  not  in  a  manner  quite 
as  reprehensible.  How  about  our  annual  Fast  .''  Do  we  regard 
it  as  a  day  of  "  fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer,"  or  as  a  day  for 
out-door  sports  and  in-door  games  ?  Some  good  Christian  peo- 
ple, notably  among  them  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Cooke,  have  thought, 
in  view  of  the  turn  things  have  taken,  that  it  would  be  wise  to 
discontinue  altogether  the  appointment  of  such  a  day.  But 
would  it  not  be  better  to  reform  than  abolish  .''  It  is  rather 
surprising  that  one  of  Dr.  Cooke's  spirit  should  counsel  a  course 
that  looks  so  much  like  a  surrender.  Then  there  is  Independence 
day,  the  day  on  which,  in  times  past,  in  the  public  celebration, 
the  best  orator  and  the  best  poet  were  called  to  spread  their 
wings  in  oration  and  ode,  and  patriotism  and  lofty  sentiment 
freely  gushed  in  toast  and  banquet  speech,  with  interludes  of 
trumpet  notes  and  song.  But  now  "  Young  America "  rather 
has  the  ascendancy  hereabout ;  and  the  "antique  and  horrible" 
displays,  the  tub  races  and  the  bicycles  take  the  leading  part  — 
all  well  enough,  perhaps,  in  their  way,  but  seemingly  not  quite 
up  to  the  requirements  of  the  dignity  of  so  grand  an  occasion. 

One  word  more  about  Artillery  Election.  It  need  not  be 
remarked  that  the  name  is  derived  from  the  fact  that  on  that 
day  —  the  first  Monday  of  June  —  the  officers  of  the  Ancient 
and  Honorable  Artillery  are  elected.  The  company  was  organ- 
ized as  early  as  1638,  and  quite  a  list  of  Lynn  men  have  been 
members.  It  continues  in  vigorous  existence,  but  is,  at  this  day, 
not  so  much  needed  as  a  regulator  in  tactics,  as  it  was  in  former 
years  ;  in  short  it  is  now  rather  an  organization  of  respectable 
military  citizens  who  meet  in  a  semi-social  way,  than  one  ad- 
hering to  the  strict  rules  and  requirements  of  martial  life. 

They  have  occasionally  on  parade  days  visited  Lynn.  Any 
one  in  passing  along  Tremont  street,  in  Boston,  may  observe 
near  the  outer  wall  of  the  King's  Chapel  burying  ground  an 
ancient  gravestone  bearing  the  name  Hezekiah  Usher.  This 
individual  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  organization. 
A  son  of  his,  of  the  same  name,  was  an  officer  in  the  company,  and 


238  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

died  in  Lynn,  though  he  was  not  a  resident,  in  July  1697  ;  and 
they  marched  hither  to  escort  his  remains  to  their  last  resting 
place  beside  those  of  his  father.  Our  eleventh  Mayor,  Col. 
Roland  G.  Usher,  is  of  the  same  ancestral  line ;  and  he  became 
a  member  of  the  company  in  185 1. 


Shays's  Rebellion.  The  following  items  appear  m  an  account 
presented  by  the  town  of  Lynn  for  reimbursement  by  the  state 
for  supplies  furnished  on  the  occasion  of  this  memorable  disturb- 
ance, which  took  place  in  1786:  "  One  thousand  weight  of  Beef, 
at  2d.  I  farthing  &  1-2  a  pound  ;  four  hundred  and  thirty  four 
pound  of  Bread,  at  19^.  pr  Hundred  ;  twenty  two  gallons  of  Rum, 
at  2s.  Zd.  pur  gal.  ;  a  Barril  to  carry  the  Rum  in,  4$'. ;  one  Bushel 
of  salt,  2s.  and  a  Bag  2s.  ;  four  Camp  kittle  at  5  j.  a  peace,  lost ; 
the  selectmen  eleven  days  at  4^.  pur  Day  for  necessary  time 
spent  to  collect  s"^  things,"  &c. 


Woodward's  Awls.  The  elder  members  of  the  shoe-making 
craft  hereabout  will  remember  the  famous  Woodward  awls.  Before 
shoes  were  made  by  machinery,  they  had  a  great  sale  in  Lynn,, 
as  nothing  could  supply  their  place.  They  were  manufactured 
in  that  part  of  Reading  now  known  as  Wakefield,  by  Thomas 
Woodward,  who  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  or  Lynnfield,  as  it  now 
is,  and  was  born  in  1773.  He  was  a  very  ingenious  and  dexter- 
ous mechanic,  and  has  been  credited  with  numbering  among  his 
other  inventions  that  of  the  Emerson  razor  strap.  Mr.  Eaton, 
in  his  history  of  Reading,  says  of  him  :  "  He  was  an  honest, 
industrious,  and  kind-hearted  man,  but  possessed  some  peculiar- 
ities of  character  ;  he  had  an  inquiring  and  rather  credulous 
mind  ;  any  new  idea,  either  in  physic,  physics  or  ethics,  he  was 
ever  ready  to  adopt,  and  if  he  thought  it  valuable,  he  was  dis- 
posed to  pursue  it  with  great  sincerity  and  pertinacity  of  purpose  ; 
hence  we  find  him  ever  trying  some  new  experiment  in  manufac- 
turing, using  some  newly  invented  pilis  or  cordial,  making  a 
"Tincture,"  that  becomes  and  still  continues  a  popular  medicine, 
becoming  an  anti-mason  and  abolitionist  of  the  most  approved 
patterns,  and  an  honest  and  sincere  believer  in  Millensm.  He 
was,  however,  a  very  useful  citizen.  He  lived  to  be  aged,  and  _ 
his  body  outlived  his  mind."     He  died  in  i860,  aged  Z"]  years. 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  239 

Religious  Discussions.  In  our  Annals,  under  date  1702,  an 
account  is  given  of  a  characteristic  discussion  on  religious  topics, 
held  in  Lynn  by  Rev.  George  Keith,  a  Church  of  England  mis- 
sionary, and  John  Richardson  a  prominent  Quaker  preacher- 
There  was  at  that  period  a  wide-spread  interest  in  such  contro- 
versies, on  both  sides  of  the  water,  and  the  contestants  often 
manifested  most  intemperate  zeal.  Soon  after  Mr.  Keith's  return 
to  England  the  following  appeared  as  an  adv,ertisement  in  the 
London  Postman  :  **  Whereas,  the  world  has  been  told  in  public 
papers  and  otherwise,  of  numerous  conversions  of  Quakers  to 
the  Church  of  England,  by  means  of  Mr.  Keith  and  others,  and 
whereas  the  Quakers  give  out  in  their  late  books  and  otherwise, 
that  since  Mr.  Keith  came  out  of  America,  there  are  not  ten 
persons  owned  by  them  that  have  left  their  Society,  Mr.  Keith 
and  others  will  very  much  oblige  the  world  in  publishing  a  true 
list  of  their  proselytes." 


Prescott's  Walk.  William  H.  Prescott,  the  eminent  histo- 
rian, was  for  some  years  a  summer  resident  of  Lynn,  his  estate 
being  on  Ocean  street.  There  he  composed  a  considerable 
portion  of  "  Philip  the  Second,"  and  did  other  writing.  His 
physical  infirmities  were  such  that  much  air  and  exercise  were 
absolutely  necessary.  The  old  cherry  tree,  alluded  to  in  the 
following  extract  from  the  biography  of  the  historian,  by  George 
Ticknor,  stood  in  front  of  the  mansion. 

"  One  thing  at  his  Lynn  home,  was,  and  still  is,  [1862]  very 
touching.  There  was  hardly  a  tree  on  the  place  except  some 
young  plantations,  which  were  partly  his  own,  but  which  he  did 
not  live  to  see  grow  up.  But  shade  was  important  to  him  there 
as  it  was  everywhere  ;  and  none  was  to  be  found  on  his  grounds 
except  under  the  broad  branches  of  an  old  cherry  tree,  which 
had  come  down  from  the  days  of  Quaker  shoemakers,  who  were  sO' 
long  the  monarchs  of  the  land  there,  and  in  all  the  neighborhood. 
Round  the  narrow  circle  of  shade  which  this  tree  afforded  him,, 
he  walked  with  his  accustomed  fidelity  a  certain  length  of  time 
every  day  whenever  the  sun  prevented  him  from  going  more 
freely  abroad.  There  he  soon  wore  a  path  in  the  green  sward, 
and  so  deep  did  it  at  last  become  that  now  —  four  years  since 
any  foot  has  pressed  it —  the  marks  still  remain  as  a  sad  memo- 


240  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

rial  of  his  infirmity.  I  have  not  unfrequently  watched  him  as 
he  paced  his  wearisome  rounds  there,  carrying  a  light  umbrella, 
which,  when  he  reached  the  sunny  side  of  his  circle,  he  raised 
for  an  instant  to  protect  his  eyes,  and  then  shut  it  again,  that 
the  suffering  organ  might  have  the  full  benefit,  not  only  of  the 
exercise,  but  of  the  fresh  air  ;  so  exact  and  minute  was  he  as  to 
whatever  could  in  the  slightest  degree  affect  its  condition." 

This  same  old  cherry  tree  is  referred  to  in  the  following  im- 
pressive but  slightly  stilted  sonnet,  written  after  Mr.  Prescott's 
death,  by  an  esteemed  poetess  of  New  York : 

No  more,  alas  !  the  soft  returning  spring 

Shall  greet  thee,  walking  near  thy  favorite  tree. 

Marking  with  patient  step  the  magic  ring 

Where  pageants  grand  and  monarchs  move  with  thee. 

Thou  new  Columbus  !  bringing  from  old  Spain 

Her  ancient  wealth  to  this  awaiting  shore ; 

Returning  stamped  with  impress  of  thy  brain, 

Far  richer  treasures  than  her  galleons  bore. 

Two  worlds  shall  weep  for  thee  —  the  Old,  the  New  — 

Now  that  the  marble  and  the  canvas  wait 

In  vain  to  cheer  the  homes  and  hearts  so  true, 

Thy  immortality  made  desolate. 

While  angels  on  imperishable  scroll 

Record  the  wondrous  beauty  of  thy  sou!. 


The  Sea-Serpent.  In  our  Annals,  under  date  1819,  is  given 
a  pretty  full  account  of  this  wonderful  marine  monster  who  is 
yet  regarded  by  many  as  a  mere  creature  of  the  imagination. 
And  under  date  1875  may  be  found  a  few  additional  particulars. 
Till  within  a  comparatively  recent  period  leading  scientists  ap- 
peared to  disdain  even  the  discussion  of  the  question  of  his 
existence.  But  new  interest  has,  of  late,  from  some  cause,  been 
awakened,  and  opinions  more  or  less  valuable  are  freely  expressed 
by  those  who  claim  to  be  most  learned  in  nature's  mysteries. 
The  speculations  of  scientists,  however,  are  not  always  more 
satisfactory  than  the  observation  and  experience  of  some  who 
make  no  high  claims  ;  for  there  are,  even  among  the  learned, 
wise  and  unwise,  credulous  and  incredulous  ones.  In  the  pres- 
ent state  of  the  question,  it  may  be  interesting  to  give  a  few 
items  of  testimony  which  are  not  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  our 
history. 

Nathan  D.  Chase,  an  aged  and  respectable  citizen  residing  in 


Miscellaneous   JNotes.  241 

the  eastern  section  of  the  city,  in  a  newspaper  article  published 
in  June,  1881,  referring  to  the  appearance  in  18 19,  says  : 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  snakeship  off  Long  Beach  and  Red  Rock.  He 
passed  along  within  one  hundred  feet  from  where  I  stood,  giving  me  a  very  good 
sight  of  him.  At  that  time  he  carried  his  head  out  of  water  about  two  feet,  and  his  speed 
was  like  that  of  an  ordinary  ocean  steamer.  What  I  saw  of  his  length  was  from  fifty 
to  sixty  feet.  It  was  very  difficult  to  count  the  bunches,  or  bony  fins  upon  his  back, 
as  by  his  undulating  motion  they  did  not  all  appear  at  once.  This  accounts,  in  part, 
for  the  varied  descriptions  given  of  him  by  different  parties.  His  appearance  at  the 
surface  of  the  water  was  occasional  and  but  for  a  short  time.  This  is  the  best 
description  I  can  give  of  him  from  my  own  observation,  and  I  saw  the  monster  as 
truly,  though  not  quite  so  clearly,  as  I  ever  saw  any  thing. 

There  are  honest  neighbors  of  Mr.  Chase,  who,  though  they 
entertain  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  his  veracity,  yet  believe  that 
his  eyes  did  not  serve  him  with  entire  faithfulness  ;  or  rather 
that  imagination  was  unwittingly  allowed  to  add  a  little  of  its 
illuminating  power.  The  writer  has  conversed  with  several  who 
were  on  the  Beach  at  the  time  of  the  alleged  appearance  and 
found  them  to  disagree  considerably  as  to  details,  and  in  posi- 
tiveness.  One  worthy  man  said,  "  Why,  yes,  I  saw  what  they 
called  the  sea-serpent,  but  could  not  make  out  what  some  others 
present  declared  they  saw."  Yet  none  seemed  to  doubt  that 
something  wonderful  was  moving  about  there. 

To  this  day,  with  here  and  there  an  exception,  the  Swampscott 
fishermen,  the  yachtsmen,  and  residents  near  the  shore  ridicule 
the  idea  of  the  existence  of  such  a  monster.  Probably  not  three 
in  ten  of  the  old  fishermen  believe  that  any  thing  more  like  a 
serpent  than  a  horse-mackerel  ever  sported  in  these  waters. 
But  all  this  is  negative  ;  and  the  positive  testimony  of  even  three 
or  four  credible  persons  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  outweigh 
it  in  most  minds.  Three  persons  might  see  a  thing  that  forty 
others,  did  not  see,  though  in  a  situation  where  they  could  hardly 
have  avoided  the  sight ;  but  their  not  seeing  it  could  not  strike 
it  out  of  existence. 

A  year  or  two  before  the  alleged  first  appearance  of  the  won- 
derful creature  in  these  waters  he  was  said  to  have  been  seen 
in  the  harbor  of  Gloucester,  or  about  the  waters  of  Cape  Ann  ; 
and  the  following  description  of  him  by  Hon.  Lonson  Nash, 
a  prominent  and  highly  esteemed  resident  of  that  section,  ap- 
pears in  a  letter  addressed  to  Hon.  John  Davis,  and  published  in 
a  pamphlet  entitled  "  Report  of  a  Committee  of  the  Linnaean 

16 


242  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

Society  of  New  England,  relative  to  a  large  Marine  Animal,  sup- 
posed to  be  a  Serpent,  seen  near  Cape  Ann,  Massachusetts, 
August,  1817." 

You  request  a  detailed  account  of  my  observations  relative  to  the  serpent.  I 
saw  him  on  the  fourteenth  ultimo,  [August  14,  1817]  and  when  nearest  I  judged 
him  to  be  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  me.  At  that  distance  I  judged 
him  in  the  larger  part  about  the  size  of  a  half  barrel,  gradually  tapering  towards  the 
two  extremes.  Twice  I  saw  him  with  a  glass,  only  for  a  short  time,  and  at  other 
times  with  the  naked  eye  for  nearly  half  an  hour.  His  color  appeared  nearly 
black  —  his  motion  nearly  vertical.  When  he  moved  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  the 
track  in  his  rear  was  visible  for  at  least  half  a  mile. 

His  velocity,  when  moving  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  I  judged  was  at  the  rate 
of  a  mile  in  about  four  minutes.  When  immersed  in  the  water,  his  speed  was  greater, 
moving,  I  should  say,  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  in  two,  or  at  most  in  three  minutes.  When 
moving  under  water,  you  could  often  trace  him  by  the  motion  of  the  water  on  the 
surface,  and  from  this  circumstance  I  conclude  he  did  not  swim  deep.  He  apparently 
went  as  straight  through  the  water  as  you  could  draw  a  line.  When  he  changed  his 
course,  it  diminished  his  velocity  but  little  —  the  two  extremes  that  were  visible 
appeared  rapidly  moving  in  opposite  directions,  and  when  they  came  parallel  they 
appeared  not  more  than  a  yard  apart.  With  a  glass  I  could  not  take  in  at  one  view 
the  two  extremes  of  the  animal  that  were  visible.  I  have  looked  at  a  vessel  at  about 
the  same  distance,  and  could  distinctly  see  forty-five  feet.  If  he  should  be  taken,  I 
have  no  doubt  that  his  length  would  be  found  seventy  feet,  at  least,  and  I  should  not 
be  surprised  if  he  should  be  found  one  hundred  feet  long.  When  I  saw  him  I  was 
standing  on  an  eminence  on  the  sea-shore,  elevated  about  thirty  feet  above  the  surface 
of  the  water,  and  the  sea  was  smooth.  If  I  saw  his  head  I  could  not  distinguish  it 
from  his  body,  though  there  were  sea-faring  men  near  me  who  said  they  could 
distinctly  see  his  head.  I  believe  they  spoke  truth,  but  not  having  been  much 
accustomed  to  look  through  a  glass,  I  was  not  so  fortunate. 

I  never  saw  more  than  seven  or  eight  distinct  portions  of  him  above  the  water  at 
any  one  time,  and  he  appeared  rough,  though  I  suppose  this  appearance  was  pro- 
duced by  his  motion.  When  he  disappeared  he  apparently  sank  directly  down  like 
a  rock.  Capt.  Beach  has  been  in  Boston  for  a  week  past,  and  I  am  informed  that  he 
is  stili  there.  An  engraving  from  his  drawing  of  the  serpent  has  been  or  is  now 
making  in  Boston,  but  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  how  far  his  drawing  is 
thought  a  correct  representation. 

It  will  be  observed  that  Mr.  Nash  speaks  as  if  there  were  no 
doubt  as  to  the  existence  of  the  mysterious  stranger.  And  a 
contemporaneous  account,  like  his,  is  generally  by  far  the  most 
satisfactory  ;  because  when  one  undertakes  to  describe  what  he 
saw  many  years  before,  the  distance  of  time  and  the  unconscious 
mingling  of  circumstances  may,  unless  great  care  is  exercised 
and  the  mind  remains  perfectly  clear,  however  honest,  give  a 
false  coloring.  Very  aged  people,  in  looking  back  upon  events 
of  their  childhood,  are  proverbially  prone  to  take  up  the  magni- 
fying glass  ;  and  being  less  liable  than  contemporaneous  narrators 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  243 

to  be  confronted  by  living  witnesses,  if  they  err,  are  free  from 
some  of  the  restraints  that  lie  outside  of  conscience. 

It  is  not  improbalDle  that  this  supposed  representative  of  a 
tribe  that  existed  in  ages  long  past,  if  he  has  the  temerity  to 
continue  his  visits  to  our  coast,  may  yet  be  captured,  and  the 
agitating  questions  concerning  him  settled. 


Major  General  Whiting.  Rev.  Mr.  Whiting,  the  second 
minister  of  the  first  church  of  Lynn,  and  his  descendants  have 
been  under  notice  several  times  in  our  pages.  And  it  is  perhaps 
well  to  add  that  Major  General  Whiting,  of  the  Confederate 
army,  in  the  great  civil  war,  who  was  considered,  next  to  Beau- 
regard, the  ablest  officer  in  their  engineer  department,  was  a  son 
of  Col.  John  Whiting,  and  a  lineal  descendant  from  our  venerated 
minister.  In  1839  he  graduated  from  the  Public  Latin  School 
at  Boston,  and  at  West  Point  took  the  foremost  rank  in  the 
engineer  corps.  He  was  in  charge  of  the  fortifications  near 
Savannah,  about  the  time  the  war  broke  out,  was  taken  prisoner 
while  in  command  of  the  Confederate  forces  at  the  mouth  of  Cape 
Fear  river,  and  died  while  a  prisoner  in  New  York  harbor.  He 
is  represented  to  have  been  a  man  of  rare  accomplishments. 

It  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  many  of  those  who  espoused  the 
Confederate  cause,  sincerely  believed  they  were  acting  the  part 
of  true  patriots,  though  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  some 
of  the  intelligent  and  humane  leaders  could  have  brought  their 
minds  to  approve  of  a  part  at  least  of  the  principles  contended 
for  —  especially  those  relating  to  slavery.  They  must  have  been 
Jaboring  under  a  sort  of  self-delusion,  as  it  cannot  be  supposed 
they  acted  without  any  systematic  view  of  duty  or  right.  Such 
a  man  as  General  Whiting  is  represented  to  have  been,  so  un- 
disturbed by  ambition  or  selfish  aspiration,  appears  entirely  out 
of  place  among  those  companions  in  the  finally  "lost  cause," 
who,  destitute  of  the  higher  principles  that  should  regulate  human 
conduct,  were  governed  by  insatiable  thirst  for  political  advance- 
ment or  self-aggrandizement. 

If  it  were  desirable  to  present  a  character  in  set-off  to  the 
individual  who  is  the  subject  of  this  notice,  we  should  refer  to  his 
no  less  prominent  kinsman,  the  Hon.  William  Whiting,  late 
of  Boston,  by  whom  the  Whiting  shaft  in  our  Old  Burying  Ground 


244  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

was  erected.  He  was  as  ardent  a  supporter  of  the  Union  cause 
as  the  other  was  of  the  Confederate  ;  wa^  Solicitor  of  the  War 
Department,  at  Washington,  from  1862  to  1865,  performing  the 
arduous  duties  with  a  zeal  and  fidelity  that  elicited  the  highest 
commendation,  and  by  his  writings  —  particularly  those  on  the 
"War  Powers  under  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,"  — 
materially  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  government.  He  was 
a  descendant,  of  the  seventh  generation,  from  our  beloved  old 
minister,  was  born  in  181 3,  graduated  at  Harvard,  in  1833,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Massachusetts  and  the  United  States 
Courts  in  1838,  was  a  Presidential  Elector  in  1868,  and  Repre- 
sentative of  the  Boston  District  in  the  Forty-third  Congress. 
He  took  great  interest  in  historical  studies,  was  President  of  the 
New  England  Historic-Genealogical  Society,  and  author  of  the 
highly-appreciated  "  Memoir  of  Rev.  Samuel  Whiting,  D.  D.,  and 
of  his  wife  Elizabeth  St.  John,"  a  beautiful  volume  of  334  pages, 
a  copy  of  which  the  writer  procured  for  our  Public  Library.  He 
died  a  few  years  since. 


Point  of  Pines  —  or  Pines  Point,  or  simply  The  Pines,  as 
the  former  and  familiar  names  were  —  is  the  easterly  section, 
without  any  definitely  marked  boundaries,  of  old  Chelsea  (now 
Revere)  Beach.  Though  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Suffolk,  it 
seems  rather  to  be  a  mere  territorial  outpost  of  ancient  Lynn. 
This  beach  was  always  beautiful,  but  in  former  years  not  much 
visited  excepting  by  those  who  went  with  rickety  cart  and  stum- 
bling dobbin  to  gather  of  the  abundant  up-castings  of  the  sea,  to 
enrich  their  farm  lands  ;  and  excepting,  also,  that  in  the  warm 
season  a  rough  sort  of  pic-nic  party  sometimes  went  over  in  boats 
or  down  in  wagons  to  have  a  jolly  time  over  their  fish  chowder, 
fried  clams,  and  boiled  lobster,  washed  down  by  the  exhilarating 
drinks  of  the  day. 

The  land  hereabout  was  of  little  value,  for  it  could  be  turned 
to  few  profitable  uses.  A  friend  of  the  writer  once  refused  to 
purchase  a  tract  of  several  acres  when  the  whole  was  offered  for 
a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  There  was,  however,  many  years 
ago  a  sort  of  public  house,  where  scant  accommodations  could  be 
had  ;  a  house  not  sustaining  the  most  unblemished  reputation, 
but  perhaps  quite  as  good  as  is  usually  found  in  retired  places  near 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  245 

large  cities  ;  but  even  that  induced  the  visits  of  some  who  could 
appreciate  the  beauties  of  the  place  and  perhaps  see  that  in  the 
future  it  would  become  of  note.  In  later  years  one  or  two  houses 
of  greater  pretension  and  better  reputation  appeared  ;  but  the 
patronage  was  limited  and  the  appointments  not  of  the  most 
genteel  order.  The  road  that  led  to  the  Point  was  round-about 
and  in  some  places  rough  and  exposed.  There  was  little  to 
attract  the  sportsman,  or  the  shore  fisherman  ;  neither  was  there 
much  to  be  found  among  the  sands  and  pebbles  to  interest 
the  naturalist  or  curiosity  seeker.  Yet  there  seemed  a  tendency 
by  degrees  to  recognise  the  Beach  as  a  place  for  summer  resort. 

But  when  the  "Boston,  Revere  Beach  and  Lynn  Rail-road"  was 
built,  in  1875,  the  whole  region  was  opened  up  at  once,  as  it  were, 
to  the  light  of  day  —  the  day  of  speculation,  most  certainly — and  to 
the  notice  of  people  of  refinement,  as  well  as  to  fashionable  pleasure 
seekers.  Very  rapid  was  the  increase  in  the  price  of  lands  ; 
for  which  there  can  be  little  wonder,  as  the  whole  vicinity  —  the 
Revere  and  Chelsea  hills,  and  the  lawn-like  levels  —  furnish  some 
of  the  most  charming  views  and  salubrious  airs  that  are  to  be 
found  on  the  New  England  coast.  And  it  can  hardly  be  doubted 
that  this  well-favored  region,  with  its  wholesome  breezes,  bathing 
facilities,  ease  of  access  and  befitting  accommodations  for  all 
classes  of  visitors,  will  soon  take  rank  as  a  most  popular  water- 
ing place. 

The  Point  of  Pines,  with  its  groves  and  its  spacious  and 
tasty  architectural  erections,  now  presents  a  remarkably  pictur- 
esque appearance  as  viewed  from  the  heights  of  Lynn.  And 
when  at  evening  the  grounds  are  aglow  with  the  brilliant  electric 
lights,  sharply  defining  the  swaying  branches  and  lightly  gilding 
the  ocean  swells,  and  the  capacious  houses  are  illuminated,  story 
above  story,  the  scene  is  very  striking  —  almost  fairy  like  when 
is  added  the  softened  music  of  the  band  floating  over  the  inter- 
vening waters. 

And  in  this  we  see  what  wonderful  changes  may  suddenly, 
and  as  it  were  incidentally,  take  place  by  the  accomplishment 
of  some  shrewdly  conceived  "  public  improvement,"  like  the 
building  of  a  small  piece  of  road.  And  there  are  other  places  in 
our  favored  neighborhood  fully  as  capable  as  that  in  question,  of 
being  brought  into  similar  notice  and  made  equally  remunerative. 


246  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

Historic  Tea.  In  our  Annals,  under  date  1773,  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  tea,  in  Boston  harbor,  is  spoken  of.  And  in  connec- 
tion it  may  be  stated  that  at  the  National  Sailors'  Fair,  held  in 
Boston,  in  November,  1864,  Mrs.  E.  N.  Cheever  contributed  some 
of  the  tea  from  one  of  the  fated  chests.  It  was  taken  from  the 
shoe  of  Ezekiel  Cheever,  of  Saugus,  one  of  the  persons  engaged 
in  the  destruction  of  the  cargoes.  He  had  stopped  on  his  way 
home,  at  the  house  of  Col.  Abijah  Cheever,  in  Saugus,  where  it 
was  emptied  from  his  shoe,  and  preserved. 


Resources  and  Supplies.  The  ocean  has  always  proved  a 
hospitable  friend  to  the  people  of  Lynn,  and  they  may  well 
praise  the  sagacity  of  the  shrewd  forefathers  who  cast  their 
destinies  here  upon  its  pleasant  borders.  It  has  yielded  a  great 
variety  of  fish,  and  a  store  of  rich  dressing  for  the  arable  lands. 
To  the  indigent  settler  it  was  a  never  failing  source  of  supply  in 
the  days  of  greatest  need  ;  and  to  this  day  there  has  never  been 
a  time  when  the  destitute  could  not  resort  to  the  lobster-rocks, 
the  eel-beds,  or  the  clam-banks,  for  a  wholesome  repast ;  to  say 
nothing  of  the  cod,  haddock,  mackerel,  and  other  finny  varieties 
that  abound  upon  our  coast,  nor  of  the  shoals  of  alewives  that 
occasionally  appear  in  the  streams  that  flow  by  some  of  our  very 
doors.  When  we  read  of  the  destitution  that  season  after  season 
prevailed  in  some  of  the  more  inland  settlements,  of  their  some- 
times reaching  the  very  verge  of  starvation,  we  are  led  most  fully 
to  realize  the  benefits  of  our  position. 

At  no  period,  during  her  whole  history,  has  Lynn  been  com- 
pelled to  call  on  her  neighbors  for  assistance,  though  she  has 
many  times  extended  a  helping  hand  to  calls  from  others.  It 
has  often  been  a  matter  of  wonder,  that  the  early  settlers  in 
various  parts  of  the  old  colony,  should  ever  have  found  themselves 
in  such  straits  for  food  as  we  read  of  their  occasionally  having  been, 
for  none  of  them  were  very  far  from  the  sea.  It  seems  as  if  there 
must  have  been  some  sort  of  improvidence  or  lack  of  skillful 
management  somewhere.  But  we  are  not  to  judge  them,  and 
probably  do  not  fully  understand  the  difficulties  by  which  they 
were  encompassed. 

The  extraordinary  fecundity  of  some  of  the  smaller  kinds 
offish  is  well  attested.     That  the  milt  of  a  single  cod  "contains 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  247 

more  animals  than  there  are  men  on  the  earth,"  we  are  not 
prepared  to  dispute  —  certainly  not  from  any  actual  enumeration  ; 
nor  would  we  undertake  to  deny  that  were  it  not  for  the  gor- 
mandising propensities  of  the  larger  corsairs  of  the  deep  the 
smaller  would  so  increase  that  ships  would  be  obstructed  in 
their  movements  ;  yet  we  are  prepared  to  sa}'  that  some  kinds, 
once  abundant  hereabout  have  almost  entirely  disappeared  — 
salmon,  shad,  and  bass,  for  instance.  As  to  shell-fish  :  the  clam 
is  yet  measurably  abundant,  though  the  population  is  so  rapidly 
increasing  that  his  admirers  are  already  beginning  to  fear  great 
scarcity  ;  sixty  years  ago  ten  or  twelve  cents  was  a  fair  price  for 
half  a  bushel.  And  as  to  lobsters,  though  large  numbers  are 
yet  every  year  taken,  about  the  rocks  of  Nahant  and  Swampscott, 
and  out  in  deeper  water,  their  haunts  are  so  unceasingly  invaded 
that  even  their  graceful  forms  and  sunny  tempers,  without  the 
intervention  of  the  strong  arm  of  the  law  could  not  save  them 
from  apprehended  extinction.  Our  present  laws,  with  their  rather 
severe  penalties  may  succeed  in  affording  future  generations  a 
taste  of  the  delicate  meat. 

Eels  do  not  seem  to  elicit  the  tender  sympathies  of  people,  as 
do  some  of  their  companions  of  the  shoals  ;  perhaps  because 
they  have  the  misfortune  to  so  resemble  snakes.  They  yet  bed, 
in  large  numbers,  in  Saugus  river  and  other  places  where  soft, 
muddy  bottoms  are  found,  and  in  winter  especially  furnish  to  their 
captors  many  a  savory  meal.  Tons  of  them  were  formerly  taken, 
every  winter,  in  the  river  alone.  And  the  grim  old  iron  workers 
had  there  a  well-improved  harvest  field. 

The  sportive  little  "  nippers,"  are  much  less  abundant  about 
the  rocks  of  Nahant,  than  formerly,  if  the  testimony  of  the  pretty 
amateur  fishers  who  so  unskillfully  cast  their  lines  is  to  be  taken 
as  conclusive. 

But  we  thankfully  reiterate  that  the  yielding  sea  has  always 
proved  a  liberal  friend  to  Lynn.  Lynn,  however,  has  likewise 
proved  a  friend  to  herself  Our  people  have  never  been  given  to 
moroseness,  or  complaining.  In  the  outset  there  was  no  aspira- 
ration  for  things  too  high  ;  and  we  have  ever  remained  an  industri- 
ous, working  people  —  a  people  not  unduly  prone  to  speculative 
and  haphazard  enterprises.  These  habits,  early  established, 
have  stood  us  in  good  stead,  through  the  mutations  of  all  our 


248  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

country's  history,  often  saving  from  the  disasters  which  ever 
attend  fast  living,  whether  in  the  individual  or  the  community. 

Not  having  devoted  her  energies  to  employments  such  as 
sometimes  result  in  the  accumulation  of  great  individual  wealth, 
thereby  creating  withering  social  distinctions,  Lynn  has  been 
remarkably  free  from  the  mischiefs,  annoyances,  and  discomforts 
which  always,  in  small  communities,  arise  from  class  distinctions. 
What  care  we,  if  in  former  years  some  of  our  amiable  neighbors 
affected  to  look  down  upon  us  as  a  community  of  humble  plod- 
ders —  what  care  we,  now  that  we  have,  by  our  small  gains,  our 
industry  and  frugal  habits,  left  them  in  the  rear  ?  We  would 
not,  however,  assume  a  boastful  tone,  though  it  somehow  does 
seem  as  if  good  example  should  not  always  be  veiled. 

Our  esteemed  neighbors,  Salem  and  Marblehead,  for  instance, 
have  hitherto  directed  their  attention  to  pursuits  widely  differing 
from  our  own,  and  the  results  h^ve  differed  accordingly.  The 
commerce  of  the  one  and  the  fisheries  of  the  other,  with  the 
attendant  West  India  trade,  have  decayed,  and  they  have  already 
resorted  to  other  employments  more  likely  to  ensure  the  perma- 
nence of  the  thrift  they  so  well  deserve  ;  some  of  which  employ- 
ments are  akin  to  the  once  disdained  business  of  Lynn  —  shoe 
manufacturing.  But  the  good  they  have  done  the  nation  is  not 
to  be  counterbalanced  by  any  local  hindrances.  They  long  since 
opened  sources  of  traffic  which  have  added  immensely  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  country,  and  raised  her  name  abroad.  In  this, 
it  must  be  admitted,  they  are  entitled  to  rank  above  ourselves. 

The  New  England  fisheries,  especially,  were  early  looked  upon 
by  the  British  government  with  favor,  though  the  later  Naviga- 
tion Laws  of  the  kingdom  greatly  interfered  with  their  success. 
They  were  really  important  training  schools  for  the  supply  of  the 
commercial  and  naval  marine  of  the  father  land.  And  finally, 
when  the  exigencies  of  the  Revolution  demanded  the  most  hardy, 
skillful,  and  brave,  forN  the  manning  of  her  little  navy,  the  eye 
of  the  nation  was  confidently  turned,  and  turned  with  eminent 
success,  to  those  robust  wayfarers  of  the  sea. 

Such  differences  in  the  early  economy  of  neighboring  settle- 
ments should  be  kept  in  mind,  if  one  is  curious  to  trace  the 
causes  of  social  distinctions,  and  the  cause  of  the  high  or  low 
name  a  given  place  may  receive.     And  they  furnish,  too,  abun- 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  249 

dant  reason  for  the  repression  of  any  feeling  of  sectional  pride. 
Yet  we  must  maintain  that  old  Lynn  has  been  a  favored  place, 
favored  in  the  high  scriptural  sense  of  being  oppressed  neither 
by  poverty  nor  riches. 


Ancient  Documents.  Two  or  three  years  ago,  Mr.  James 
W.  Webber,  of  Lowell  street,  in  repairing  a  piece  of  old  furniture, 
found,  pressed  in  back  of  a  drawer  from  which  they  had  evidently 
fallen,  two  or  three  old,  time-stained  papers.  Instead  of  burning 
them,  as  many  would  have  done,  he  kindly  handed  them  to  the 
writer,  to  whom  one  at  least  proved  of  much  interest,  as  it  was  a 
receipt  written  by  an  ancestor,  a  specimen  of  whose  handwriting 
he  had  long  desired  to  possess. 

Another,  was  the  quaint  public  document  that  follows  in  which 
many  who  are  interested  in  our  local  history,  will  recognize  some 
old,  familiar  names : 

Essex,  ss.     To  Joseph  Newhall,  Constable,  In  Lynn,  March  3d,  1755, 

Greeting  : 
In  his  majesties  name  you  are  Required  to  warn  the  Several  Persons  here 
after  named,  to  attend  att  the  house  of  Benjamin  Bowdens  on  friday  next,  at  two 
of  the  Clock  in  the  afternoon,  in  order  to  take  the  oath  to  there  office  thay  wair 
Chose  to  Serve  in,  this  Day,  and  make  Return  of  this  your  Doings,     fail  not. 
By  order  of  the  Select  men. 


Nathaniel  Bancroft, 

Survar  of  high  ways,  Tithen  man  also. 
Amos  &  Joseph  newhalls, 

fence  viuer. 
David  Gowan,  Jur.  & 
Abraham  welman 


Joseph  Fuller,  town  Clerk. 


J  hog 


The  document  is  labelled,  "  1755.  A  warrant  to  warn  Town 
officers."  And  on  the  back,  besides  the  imperfect  return,  ap- 
pears this  record  :  "  At  a  meeting  of  the  Select  men,  April  7, 
1755,  apinted  Locker  newhall,  hog  Reeve  and  Joseph  Skinner, 
hog  Reeve."  This  "  Locker  newhall,"  was  the  father  of  the 
noted  Landlord  Jacob  Newhall,  who,  during  the  Revolution,  kept 
the  famous  old  Anchor  Tavern  —  at  that  time  under  another 
name  —  on  the  Boston  road,  in  what  is  now  East  Saugus.  The 
Joseph  Fuller,  who  was  Town  Clerk,  was  chosen  to  the  office 
that  year,  1755,  succeeding  his  kinsman  John  Fuller.  The 
Fullers  were  farmers,  and  the  family  seat  was  at  the  westerly 
end  of  Waterhill,  the  present  Cottage  street  running  through 


250  MlSCELLAIsTEOUS    NOTES. 

a  part  of  what  was  their  noble  orchard.  It  was  here,  too,  that 
an  ancient  Indian  encampment  is  supposed  to  have  existed,  as 
arrow-heads  and  implements  used  by  the  red  men  have  been  found. 
Hon.  Joseph  Fuller,  the  first  State  Senator  from  Lynn,  [18 12] 
and  a  Representative  for  six  years,  likewise  [18 14]  first  President 
of  the  Mechanics  —  now  the  First  National  —  Bank,  was  of  the 
old  Fuller  line,  and  born  on  that  salubrious  spot.  Maria  Augusta 
Fuller,  the  poetess,  was  a  daughter  of  his. 

Speaking  of  the  old  document  here  copied,  which  is  not  of 
value  excepting  as  a  mere  curiosity,  leads  to  the  remark  that 
such  chance-findings  sometimes  prove  of  exceeding  importance. 
And  if  those  who  come  across  them,  and  to  whom  they  are  of  no 
interest,  would  take  the  trouble  to  hand  them  to  some  one  who 
is  in  the  way  to  understand  their  worth,  a  good  end  might  often 
be  subserved. 


First  Sermon.  It  has  been  stated  in  various  publications 
that  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips,  of  Lynn,  preached  the  first  sermon  ever 
delivered  in  Waldo  county,  Maine.  The  Phillips  family  was  early 
known  in  Lynn  ;  but  there  was  no  settled  minister  of  the  name. 
They  appear  to  have  at  first  located  in  Swampscott,  where 
descendants  yet  remain,  though  they  were  soon  found  in  various 
parts  of  the  town.  They  were  generally  a  thrifty,  enterprising 
people.  The  reverend  gentleman  referred  to  may  have  been  a 
resident  minister  though  not  parochially  settled. 

The  sermon  alluded  to  was  a  funeral  discourse  on  the  death  of 
General  Samuel  Waldo,  who  died  on  the  23d  of  May,  1759, 
at  the  age  of  63.  He  was  a  distinguished  officer,  and  a  native 
of  Boston,  though  a  resident  of  Maine  ;  was  a  Brigadier  General 
at  the  capture  of  Louisburg,  in  1745,  owned  extensive  tracts  on 
the  Penobscot,  and  had  made  several  voyages  to  the  old  country. 
In  Drake's  Biographical  Dictionary,  it  is  said:  "There  were 
remarkable  coincidences  between  his  life  and  that  of  his  friend 
Sir  William  Pepperell.  They  lived  in  Maine,  and  were  rich 
bachelors ;  they  were  councillors  together ;  they  commanded 
regiments,  and  were  together  at  Louisburg  ;  they  passed  a  year 
together  in  England  ;  were  born  the  same  year  ;  and  died  nearly 
at  the  same  time."  Mr.  Phillips  certainly  had  a  good  subject 
for  an  eloquent  and  pathetic  discourse. 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  251 

The  Hills  of  Lynn.  Whoever  has  had  an  opportunity  to 
range  about  the  woody,  rock-bound  hills  that  skirt  along  our 
northern  border,  cannot  have  failed  to  perceive  that  we  are  sur- 
rounded by  some  of  nature's  most  charming  scenery.  And 
the  hills  themselves,  when  viewed  from  the  town,  present  features 
of  romantic  interest.  Some  slight  idea  of  their  appearance  may 
be  obtained  from  the  little  picture  on  page  224,  of  the  present 
volume.  Yet  they  appear,  when  seen  from  the  water  or  from 
the  shore-ward  levels,  of  greater  height  than  actual  measurement 
determines.  In  the  picture,  the  highest  point,  Reservoir  Hill,  is 
shown.  And  the  following  table  gives  the  height  of  that  and 
several  other  points  within  the  old  town  limits,  in  feet : 


Reservoir  Hill, 224 

Dungeon  Hills,        ....  200 

High  Rock, 170 

Sadler's  Rock 166 


Lover's  Leap, 133 

Egg  Rock 86 

Sagamore  Hill,        ....  66 

Bailey's  Hill,  (Nahant)    .     .  63 


History  of  Lynn.  The  first  edition  of  the  History  of  Lynn 
appeared  in  four  numbers,  in  1829.  The  next  edition  was  issued 
in  1844,  ^^  ths  form  of  an  octavo  of  278  pages.  These  were  by 
Mr.  Lewis,  who  died  on  the  twenty-first  of  January,  1861.  In 
1865  appeared  the  edition  bearing  the  imprint  of  that  year. 
This  was  a  volume  of  620  octavo  pages,  and  is  the  one  so  many 
times  referred  to  in  the  present  work  as  the  "  1865  edition  of  the 
History  of  Lynn,"  and  which  contains  the  "  Annals,"  from  the 
time  the  settlement  commenced,  in  1629  down  to  the  close 
of  1864.  It  embraced  the  whole  of  Mr.  Lewis's  work,  with  addi- 
tions and  a  continuation  down  to  the  time  of  its  publication,  by 
James  R.  Newhall.  The  volume  now  in  the  reader's  hands,  and 
which  is  by  the  individual  last  named,  takes  up  the  "  Annals  " 
where  the  1865  edition  left  them,  and  continues  on  to  1882,  with 
the  addition  of  many  pages  of  historical  matter  relating  to  de- 
tached topics. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  Mr.  Lewis's  contribution  was  not 
very  great,  if  only  the  number  of  pages  is  taken  into  view.  But 
when  his  arduous  labors  in  collecting  in  so  new  a  field,  his  care- 
fulness, and  the  rich  suggestiveness  of  his  pages  are  considered, 
all  wonder  at  the  high  praise  bestowed  on  him  ceases.  And  it 
is  a  matter  of  keen  regret  that  his  labors  were  confined  to  so 
limited  a  sphere  as  a  single  town.     He  did,  indeed,  many  years 


252  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

ago,  propose  preparing  a  history  of  Boston,  which  would  in  some 
sense  have  been  a  history  of  the  whole  State,  or  indeed  of  all 
New  England.  And  why  he  failed  to  execute  his  purpose  is  not 
known.  Some  very  worthy  people  manifested  a  deep  interest  in 
his  plan  ;  but  perhaps  the  pecuniary  aid  was  lacking,  for  it  is  as 
generally  true  that  those  whose  energies  are  devoted  to  nourish- 
ing the  purse  have  little  regard  for  the  nourishment  of  the  mind, 
as  that  those  who  minister  to  the  mind  neglect  the  purse.  Mr. 
Drake,  in  the  preface  to  his  History  of  Boston,  published  in  1856, 
very  kindly  says  that  if  Mr.  Lewis  had  written  a  history  of  that 
city,  there  would  have  been  no  need  of  his  own  work. 


Discomforts  of  Travel.  It  is  well  known  that  along  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  and  the  early  part  of  the  present, 
the  few  shoe-manufacturers  whose  trade  extended  beyond  Boston, 
were  subjected  to  hardships  and  discomforts  of  which  the  manu- 
facturers of  this  day  know  nothing  ;  not  the  least  of  which  were 
their  tedious  journeys  to  New  York  and  places  farther  south,  to 
dispose  of  their  shoes  and  collect,  or  try  to  collect,  their  dues. 
The  writer  has  heard  good  old  Col.  Brimblecom,  whose  manufac- 
tory and  dwelling  were  on  the  lonely  Turnpike  near  the  Franklin 
street  crossing,  and  who  died  in  1850,  describe  some  of  his 
expeditions  in  a  manner  to  which  it  was  doubtful  whether  laugh- 
ter or  tears  were  most  appropriate. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  century  President  Quincy,  who  was 
wooing  the  fair  lady  of  New  York  who  afterwards  became  his 
wife,  speaks  thus  feelingly  of  the  difficulties  that  beset  his  way : 
"  The  carriages  were  old  and  the  shackling  and  much  of  the 
harness  made  of  ropes.  One  pair  of  horses  carried  us  eighteen 
miles.  We  generally  reached  our  resting  place  for  the  night, 
if  no  accident  intervened,  at  ten  o'clock,  and  after  a  frugal  supper, 
went  to  bed  with  a  notice  that  we  should  be  called  at  three,  next 
morning  —  which  generally  proved  to  be  half  past  two.  Then, 
whether  it  snowed  or  rained,  the  traveller  must  rise  and  make 
ready  by  the  help  of  a  horn  lantern  and  a  farthing  candle,  and 
proceed  on  his  way,  over  bad  roads,  sometimes  with  a  driver 
showing  no  doubtful  symptoms  of  drunkenness,  which  good 
hearted  passengers  never  failed  to  improve  at  every  stopping 
place,  by  urging  upon  him  the  comfort  of  another  glass  of  toddy. 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  253 

Thus  we  travelled  eighteen  miles  a  stage,  sometimes  obliged  to 
get  out  and  help  the  coachman  lift  the  coach  out  of  a  quagmire 
or  rut,  and  arriving  in  New  York  after  a  week's  hard  travelling, 
[from  Boston]  wondering  at  the  ease  as  well  as  the  expedition 
with  which  our  journey  was  effected."  Of  course  all  the  difficul- 
ties and  disasters  of  the  way  were  compensated  for  by  the  happy 
termination  of  the  wooing.  But  the  poor  shoe-manufacturer 
was  too  often  compelled  to  travel  the  route  with  misgivings  that 
were  not  to  be  thus  satisfactorily  relieved. 

Perplexities  and  Duties  of  Authorship.  In  the  Preface 
to  the  1865  editon  of  our  History,  a  word  is  said  about  the  labor 
and  perplexity  attending  the  preparation  of  a  work  for  the  press, 
especially  one  in  which  a  multitude  of  dates  and  facts  appear. 
Dr.  Livingstone,  in  the  preface  to  his  South  African  Researches 
says  :  "  Those  who  have  never  carried  a  book  through  the  press 
can  form  no  idea  of  the  amount  of  toil  it  involves."  The  toil, 
however,  is  not  so  great  as  the  anxiety  a  careful  author  must 
feel  to  have  his  statements  correct.  Dates  and  facts  are  not 
always  so  readily  obtained  as  the  inexperienced  may  imagine. 
We  remember  that  once,  after  a  fruitless  search  for  a  certain  date 
the  thought  occurred  that  it  might  be  found  on  a  grave-stone  in 
the  Old  Burying  Ground.  The  printer's  call  for  "  copy "  was 
imperative ;  and  so,  on  a  dreary  winter  night,  borrowing  a 
lantern  of  the  undertaker  and  receiving  his  comforting  caution 
to  beware  lest  a  bullet,  intended  by  some  wary  watchman  for  a 
body-snatcher,  should  suddenly  put  a  period  to  the  search,  we 
entered  the  ground,  found  the  stone,  and  after  scraping  away 
the  snow,  were  rewarded  by  finding  the  object  searched  for. 
This  is  given  only  as  an  illustration  of  what  is  often  necessary 
to  ensure  accuracy,  and  to  bespeak  indulgence  for  trifling  errors. 

In  the  Preface  first  mentioned,  too,  a  word  is  said  about  the 
redundant,  inappropriate,  and  often  ridiculous  use  of  titles  in 
which  we  Americans  indulge.  The  writer  has  been  somewhat 
sparing  in  the  use  of  the  titular  pepper-box,  believing  that  such 
free  application  of  nominal  distinctions  seldom  adds  to  the  dignity 
of  a  name,  though  sometimes  useful  for  identification.  Horace 
Smith  defines  "Esquire"  as  "a  title  very  much  in  use  by  vulgar 
people."     But  on  this  subject  nothing  further  need  be  said  here. 


254  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

Free  Public  Forest.  Glen  Lewis.  On  page  90  of  the 
present  volume  the  reader  may  find  a  brief  account  of  a  "  Camp 
Day  "  of  the  "  Exploring  Circle."  And  to  the  few  remarks  there 
made  a  little  something  should  be  added,  as  the  movement  has 
now  assumed  a  rather  more  definite  shape. 

The  intelligent  and  public-spirited  gentlemen  who  enlisted  in 
the  praise-worthy  "  Free  Public  Forest"  enterprise,  soon  formed 
themselves  into  a  voluntary  association,  having  in  view,  briefly, 
the  preservation,  as  far  as  possible,  of  the  extensive  range  of  forest 
that  traverses  our  northern  border,  and  its  devotion  to  the  free 
use  of  the  public,  forever  —  a  noble  purpose,  most  surely. 

The  association  is  not  a  legally  incorporated  body,  but  an 
entirely  voluntary  one,  and  dependent  for  its  success  upon  the 
good-will  and  contributions  of  the  people.  Of  course,  as  respon- 
sibilities increase  and  perplexing  questions  arise,  it  may  become 
necessary  to  introduce  new  features  into  the  organization  ;  but 
for  the  present  nothing  further  seems  required,  as  the  trustees, 
in  whose  hands  the  general  management  now  rests,  are  of  a 
character  that  cannot  fail  to  command  the  confidence  of  their 
fellow-citizens.  In  time,  others,  of  a  different  order,  may  be 
called  to  occupy  their  places,  and  further  safeguards  become 
necessary.  Yet,  should  any  rights  be  invaded,  protection  may 
always  be  found  in  the  courts,  for  they  cannot,  if  they  would,  put 
themselves  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  at  least  a  court  of  equity  ; 
and  as  to  the  present  officers,  we  are  sure  they  would  not  plant 
themselves  outside  of  the  law,  if  they  could,  however  strong  a 
temptation  might  arise. 

On  the  thirtieth  of  May  —  Memorial  Day — 1882,  another 
Camp  Day  was  held,  far  back  in  the  woods,  at  which  the  principal 
ceremony  was  the  consecration  of  Glen  Lewis  —  a  wild  and 
secluded  spot  in  the  extensive  tract  known  as  Blood  Swamp. 
The  ceremonies  were  of  a  character  similar  to  those  spoken  of  on 
page  90,  before  referred  to,  with  the  addition  of  certain  features 
appropriate  to  the  leading  purpose.  The  day  was  pleasant,  and 
there, .  surrounded  by  the  budding  beauties  of  the  season,  the 
large  company  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  youthful  and  mature, 
passed  some  very  enjoyable  hours  in  witnessing  ceremonials 
induced  by  a  warm  desire  to  duly  honor  the  memory  of  Lynn's- 
esteemed  historian  and  bard. 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  255 

Whether  any  present  were  actuated  by  awakened  consciences, 
and  desired  to  atone  for  former  neglects,  or  had  any  to  atone  for, 
may  not  be  inquired  into  here.  But  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that 
Mr.  Lewis,  during  his  life,  did  not  receive  from  the  great  body 
of  his  fellow-citizens  the  consideration  which  his  talents  and 
services  merited.  His  literary  efforts,  perhaps  we  should  say 
aside  from  his  history,  were  not  duly  appreciated  ;  and  the  pecu- 
niary returns  were  meagre.  He  was  keenly  alive  to  the  opinions 
of  others,  and  delighted  with  expressions  of  approval,  especially 
when  those  expressions  appeared  in  print.  And  his  life  would 
have  been  rendered  vastly  more  happy,  if  he  had  received,  while 
among  us,  but  a  small  portion  of  the  praise  that  has  been  awarded 
since  his  decease,  and  which  was  justly  his  due.  Posthumous 
acknowledgments  are  pleasant  to  the  friends  of  departed  ones  ; 
but  it  is  doubtful  if  the  departed  themselves  can  be  much  moved 
by  them. 

The  writer  is  not  unmindful  of  his  own  short-comings,  and  in 
the  biographical  sketch  in  the  1865  edition  of  the  History  of 
Lynn,  has  endeavored  to  present  some  of  the  points  of  character 
wherein  our  friend  was  clearly  misunderstood  and  consequently 
misjudged.  That  Mr.  Lewis,  especially  in  the  earlier  stages  of  his 
literary  career,  was  extremely  sensitive  in  matters  touching  his 
growing  fame,  and  a  little  jealous  of  the  aspirations  of  others, 
may  not  be  disputed  ;  nor  can  it  be  disputed  that  occasionally, 
by  some  singularly  unfortunate  assumption,  he  exposed  himself 
as  a  conspicuous  mark  for  the  shafts  of  criticism.  But  his  appeals 
usually  had  in  them  such  a  measure  of  good  sense  and  such  a 
worthy  purpose,  that  they  could  be  counted  as  good  seed,  a  little 
unwisely  scattered. 

Among  other  things,  with  now  and  then  a  needlessly  tart  ex- 
pression, he  deprecated  the  disposition  to  undervalue  the  efforts 
of  natives.  In  an  "open  letter"  to  the  writer,  dated  October  i, 
1833,  and  addressed  through  the  columns  of  a  Boston  paper,  he 
says :  "  I  have  long  observed  the  disposition  prevalent  in  this 
town,  to  put  down  every  individual,  that  was  a  native  of  it,  who 
possessed  any  unfortunate  tendency  to  rising.  It  is  a  disposition 
that  appears  to  prevail  in  this  town  more  than  in  any  other,  with 
which  I  am  acquainted.  Other  towns  know  that  the  honor  of  their 
sons  is  their  own,  and  they  conduct  accordingly.     If  they  can 


256  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

promote  the  welfare  or  advancement  of  an  individual,  they  con- 
sider that  an  equal  amount  is  added  to  their  own.  But  it  would 
seem  as  if  we  acted  on  a  principle  exactly  different ;  for  it  too 
often  happens  that  they  who  manifest  the  greatest  degree  of 
public  spirit,  and  do  the  most  for  the  town,  fare  the  worst." 

The  foregoing  somewhat  acidulous  sentences  it  will  be  no- 
ticed, were  written  about  fifty  years  ago.  And  it  may  not  be 
improper  to  ask  if  there  has  been  much  improvement  since. 
The  letter  was  elicited  by  the  only  occasion  where  a  disagree- 
ment between  Mr.  Lewis  and  the  writer  culminated  in  a  news- 
paper controversy  ;  and  it  is  believed  the  result  was  in  no  small 
degree  beneficial  ;  it  certainly  was  to  one  of  us,  and  perhaps 
to  both.  The  true  theory,  undoubtedly  is,  that  every  community 
should  make  use  of  the  best  talent  it  possesses,  whatever  the 
origin  ;  but  a  native  should  not  be  denied  an  equal  chance,  as 
Mr.  Lewis  seemed  to  think  he  often  was.  And  it  certainly  does, 
in  some  instances,  look  as  if  one  native  thought  there  never 
could  be  a  fellow-native  equal  to  a  transplanted  resident. 

It  is  not  easy  to  determine  whether  Mr.  Lewis  preferred  fame 
as  a  poet  or  historian.  His  writings  were  about  as  voluminous 
in  one  department  as  the  other,  though  it  was  apparent  that 
certain  critics  did  not  consider  him  equally  successful  in  both. 

Many  a  time  have  we  looked  back  to  the  cheerless  day  on 
which  the  remains  of  our  friend  were  conveyed  to  their  last 
resting  place,  with  feelings  of  deep  sadness.  The  funeral  service 
took  place  on  the  twenty-third  of  January,  1861,  in  the  Central 
Congregational  Meeting-house,  on  Silsbee  street.  It  was  a 
dreary  day,  without,  though  no  storm  was  actually  raging  ;  and 
within,  there  was  little  to  relieve  the  dreariness.  The  house 
was  cold,  and  the  sombre  exercises  quite  brief  No  remarks 
touching  the  ability,  character,  or  merits  of  the  departed,  were 
made  ;  indeed  there  was  nothing  beyond  the  reading  of  some 
passages  of  Scripture,  a  prayer,  and  a  few  strains  of  sacred  mu- 
sic —  such  an  apparently  empty  service  being  very  uncommon 
in  a  Congregational  place  of  worship,  hereabout,  on  the  occasion 
of  a  burial,  at  that  period.  But  the  saddest  part  of  the  whole 
was  the  singularly  small  attendance.  And  as,  in  passing  out, 
we  paused  in  the  porch,  almost  alone,  to  take  a  last  look  upon 
that  manly  face,  upturned  in  the  casket,  we  almost  fancied  that 


Miscellaneous  Notes,  257 

the  pallid  lips  would  part,  and  the  well-known  voice  in  sorrow 
ask,  "  Where,  now,  are  all  my  worthy  friends  ? "  And  what 
answer  could  there  be,  but  the  chilling  echo,  "  Where  ?  " 

That  Mr.  Lewis's  poetic  conceptions  led  him  to  admire  the 
picturesque  and  beautiful  in  every  department  of  nature,  is  true  ; 
but  it  is  likewise  true  that  he  had  his  preferences.  The  drowsy 
silence  of  the  woody  glen  had  its  attractions  ;  but  as  a  retreat  in 
which  to  meditate,  he  would  rather  have  sought  some  rocky 
niche  by  the  sea,  where  the  lulling  melody  of  the  peaceful,  or  the 
stern  harmony  of  the  storm-tossed,  waves,  was  ceaselessly  heard. 
His  loved  home,  against  whose  very  walls  the  sea  murmured  its 
matins  and  vespers,  sufficiently  evinces  this.  And  by  the  sea 
would  he  have  had  his  last  resting  place,  pleading  therefor  in 
these  imploring  strains : 

O  bury  me  not  in  the  dark  old  woods, 

Where  the  sunbeams  never  shine  ; 
Where  mingles  the  mist  of  the  mountain  floods 

With  the  dew  of  the  dismal  pine  ! 
But  bury  me  deep  by  the  bright  blue  sea, 

I  have  loved  in  life  so  well ; 
Where  the  winds  may  come  to  my  spirit  free. 

And  the  sound  of  the  ocean  shell. 

It  is  hoped  that  none  of  the  foregoing  remarks  will  be  regarded 
as  made  without  a  purpose,  or  in  a  captious  spirit.  The  occasion 
of  the  consecration  of  the  Glen  was  a  highly  interesting  one,  and 
forced  upon  the  writer  reflections,  some  of  which,  thus  expressed, 
may  awaken  in  other  minds  considerations  leading  to  results 
beneficial  to  all  of  us. 


The  Mayflower.  In  the  Calendar  of  British  State  Papers, 
under  date  April  12,  1588,  is  found  the  following:  "  Thos.  San- 
dyll,  Mayor,  and  Aldermen  of  King's  Lynn,  to  the  Council : 
Pray  them  to  direct  letters  to  the  town  of  Blakeney  and  other 
members  of  the  port  which  refused  to  contribute  their  share 
towards  the  furnishing  of  the  ships  required.  They  are  willing 
to  furnish  the  Mayflower,  of  Lynn,  of  1 50  tons,  and  a  fine  pinnace, 
to  join  her  majesty's  fleet."  It  would  probably  be  esteemed  an 
honor,  by  some  of  us,  to  discover  a  connection,  however  remote, 
between  Lynn  and  the  famed  Mayflower ;  and  hence  it  may  be 
gratifying  to  have  it  appear  that  the  vessel  here  named,  was 

17 


258  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

the  renowned  little  rover  the  seas  that  afterwards  brought  the 
pilgrims,  with  their  thousands  of  tons  of  trumpery  to  "  wild 
New  England's  shore."  King's  Lynn,  from  which  our  own  city 
derived  its  name,  was  not,  indeed,  noted  for  its  puritanical  pro- 
clivities, but  as  "business  is  business,"  would  no  doubt  have 
been  ready,  for  a  consideration,  to  enter  into  negotiations  touch- 
ing the  emigration  had  they  still  owned  the  favored  craft.  The 
stated  tonnage,  though  it  does  not  exactly  tally,  yet  comes  so 
near  that  it  may  well  be  taken  as  some  evidence  of  identity. 


First  Church  Celebration.  On  the  eighth  of  June,  1882, 
a  very  interesting  celebration  took  place  —  the  celebration  of  the 
two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  "  First 
Church  of  Christ  in  Lynn"  —  one  of  the  very  few  churches  that 
have  remained  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  the  New  England  fathers. 
It  was  something  more  than  a  mere  society  or  denominational 
observance,  being  one  well  calculated  to  enlist  the  sympathies 
and  stir  the  feelings  of  all  natives  of  the  town,  and  to  interest  all 
who  have  a  regard  for  her  prosperity  and  good  name. 

Yet  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  attendance  on  the  various 
exercises  was  not  so  large  as  might  have  been  expected,  the 
weather,  in  particular,  being  propitious.  No  doubt  many  forbore 
to  suspend  their  ordinary  avocations,  in  the  belief  that  the  good 
things  to  be  said  would  immediately  be  published  in  a  form  that 
could  be  perused  at  any  leisure  hour.  But  the  absentees  lost 
much  in  failing  to  witness  features  that  lay  beyond  the  reporter's 
skill.  They  would  have  been  especially  pleased  with  the  air 
of  cordiality  and  Christian  fervor  that  pervaded  all  the  proceed- 
ings. There  was,  however,  a  very  fair  attendance,  and  that  by 
no  means  confined  to  members  of  the  society.  Among  the  vis- 
itors from  abroad  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  M.  Dexter,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  of  our  New  England  scholars  and  divines  ;  an 
accomplished  antiquary  and  author  of  various  works,  among 
which  is  the  highly-commended  "  History  of  Congregationalism." 
He  is  a  lineal  descendant  from  farmer  Thomas  Dexter,  who 
conspicuously  figured  in  our  early  history,  and  for  a  long  time 
kept  the  town  authorities  in  a  disturbed  state  by  persistently 
urging  his  claim  to  the  whole  territory  of  Nahant,  under  a 
purchase  from  the  Indian  sagamore  Poquanum  —  otherwise  called 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  259 

Duke  William,  or  Black  Will  —  for  a  suit  of  clothes,  in  1630. 
As  editor  of  a-  leading  religious  paper,  Dr.  Dexter  has  done 
much  to  defend  the  ancient  "  orthodox  "  faith,  against  the  inroads 
of  modern  "liberalism."  There  were  also  present  other  conspic- 
uous individuals  from  abroad,  some  of  whom  took  part  in  the 
proceedings. 

The  exercises  consisted  of  addresses  appropriate  to  the  occa- 
sion, interspersed  with  sacred  music  ;  the  principal  address  being 
an  historical  one  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  Walter  Barton.  And  at 
noon  an  excellent  collation  was  provided,  sufficient  for  the  abun- 
dant supply  of  all  present,  who  desired  to  partake.  The  deco- 
rations, floral  and  otherwise,  were  in  good  taste,  and  everything 
conspired  to  make  the  occasion  one  most  enjoyable  and  pleasant 
to  be  remembered. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  ministers  of  this  venerable  parish 
from  the  commencement  of  worship  here  to  the  present  time. 
1632,  Stephen  Bachiler.  1636,  Samuel  Whiting.  1637,  Thomas 
Cobbet,  (colleague.)  1680,  Jeremiah  Shepard.  1680,  Joseph 
Whiting,  (colleague.)  1720,  Nathaniel  Henchman.  1763,  John 
Treadwell.  1784,  Obadiah  Parsons.  1794,  Thomas  Gushing 
Thacher.  1813,  Isaac  Hurd.  1818,  Otis  Rockwood.  1832,  Da- 
vid Peabody.  1836,  Parsons  Cooke.  1865,  James  M.  Whiton. 
1872,  Stephen  R.  Dennen.  1876,  Walter  Barton.  Rev.  Joseph 
Cook,  who  afterwards  became  noted  here  and  in  Europe  as  a 
lecturer  on  ethical  subjects,  was  stated  minister  for  some  months 
preceding  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Dennen. 


Protestant  Episcopal  Worship.  There  was  no  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  edifice  in  Lynn,  for  more  than  two  centuries 
after  the  settlement  began.  It  was  in  18 19  that  the  first  attempt 
to  form  a  Parish  was  made  ;  but  nothing  permanent  was  effected. 
In  1836,  Christ  Church  Parish  was  organized,  and  during  the 
following  year  the  modest  house  of  worship  on  North  Common 
street,  between  Franklin  avenue  and  Hanover  street,  was  conse- 
crated. It  is  a  wooden  structure,  faithfully  represented  by  the 
engraving  appended  to  this  notice.  But  Christ  Church  Parish 
did  not  long  sustain  itself  In  1844,  the  now  flourishing  St. 
Stephen's  Parish  was  organized,  and  continued  to  worship  in  the 
old   edifice   till    November,    1881,  when   the  elegant    Memorial 


26o 


Miscellaneous  Notes. 


Church,  on  South  Common  street,  was  consecrated,  and  immedi- 
ately occupied.  This  church,  the  most  costly  public  building  yet 
erected  in  Lynn,  with  the  exception  of  the  City  Hall,  was  the 
gift  of  Hon.  Enoch  Redington  Mudge,  of  whom  a  notice  may  be 
found  in  our  Annals,  under  date  1881  ;  and  under  the  same  date 
an  account  of  the  consecration  services  appears. 


FIRST   PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL,  CHURCH   IN    LYNN.     . 
CONSECRATED  IN    1837. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  ministers  who  served 
in  this  first  Episcopal  Church  in  Lynn.  1836,  Milton  Ward. 
1837,  George  Waters.  1839,  Frederic  J.  W.  Pollard.  1841, 
William  A.  White,  (Lay  Reader.)  1844,  George  D.  Wildes. 
1846,  Isaac  W.  Hallam.  i860,  Edward  H.  True.  1863,  George 
S.  Paine.  1865,  Gordon  M.  Bradley.  1868,  Benjamin  W.  Att- 
well.     1870,  Edward  L.  Drown.     1876,  Louis  DeCormis. 


Ecclesiastical  Proceedings.  In  connection  with  the  two 
next  preceding  Notes,  a  few  remarks  may  be  made,  though  it 
can  hardly  be  required  to  go  much  into  detail,  especially  in  the 
matter  of  statiskcs,  for  the  carefully  prepared  works  that  have 
of  late  from  time  to  time  appeared,  give  all  the  necessary  infor- 
mation.    Yet  this  is  perhaps  as  suitable  a  place  as  any  for  an 


Miscellaneous  ISotes.  261 

observation  or  two  of  a  historical  nature,  designed,  so  far  as  the)' 
go,  to  supplement  those  in  our  former  edition.  Lynn,  as  has 
already  appeared,  had  her  share  in  the  ecclesiastical  agitations  of 
the  olden  time  ;  but  she  came  forth  from  her  trials  as  bright  as  any. 

Whoever  takes  pains  to  examine  the  court  files,  will  be  satisfied 
that  there  always  existed  an  under-tide  of  free  thought  which 
could  not  be  suppressed,  however  it  might  be  driven  to  conceal- 
ment by  stormy  malediction  or  by  the  strong  arm  of  the  law. 
Enough  has  been  said  touching  the  persecutions  of  the  Quakers 
and  Baptists  —  to  say  nothing  of  the  antinomian  come-outers  — 
for  their  alleged  heresies  of  opinion  ;  heresies  that  were  the 
natural  result  of  the  admitted  right  of  individual  interpretation 
of  Scripture.  "  Read  your  Bible,"  said  the  good  old  father,  "  and 
whatsoever  doctrine  you  there  find,  that  follow."  "  I  do,  by 
God's  help,  honestly  and  prayerfully,"  replies  the  recusant.  "  O, 
but  you  understand  and  interpret  amiss,  and  cannot  be  permitted 
to  promulgate  your  poisonous  errors,"  is  the  rejoinder.  The 
jurisdictions  of  church  and  state  were  very  closely  interwoven  in 
the  legislative  proceedings  of  our  early  times  ;  and  hence  it  has 
been  said,  the  persecutions  for  deviation  in  doctrine  were  simply 
punishments  by  the  civil  authorities  for  breaches  of  positive  law. 
It  was,  indeed,  a  time  when  errors  of  faith  were  regarded,  all 
over  the  Christian  world,  as  offences  against  the  state.  The 
Inquisition  itself  turned  over  to  the  secular  authorities  subjects 
for  the  auto-da-fe.  But  many  of  our  New  England  fathers  had 
a  more  rational  conception  of  human  rights,  and  the  true  princi- 
ples of  human  government,  and  might  reasonably  have  been  ex- 
pected to  avoid  those  grosser  fallacies  that  elsewhere  held  sway. 

Most  of  the  present  shades  of  belief  can  easily  be  traced. 
And  the  following  instance  of  the  out-cropping  of  Universalism, 
that  singularly  enough  seems  to  have  passed  on  to  atheism, 
which  took  place  as  early  as  1684,  is  a  case  in  point,  and  is  found 
in  detail  in  the  county  court  proceedings :  Joseph  Gatchell, 
of  Marblehead,  "  not  hauing  the  feare  of  God  before  his  eyes, 
being  instigated  by  the  devill,  at  the  house  of  Jeremiah  Gatchell, 
in  discourse  ab^  generall  Salvation  (w'^'^  he  s'^  was  his  beleife)  & 
that  all  men  should  be  saved,  being  answered  that  our  Saviour 
christ  sent  forth  his  disiples  and  gave  them  comission  to  preach 
the  Gospell,  and  that  whosoever  Repents  and  believes  shall  be 


262  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

saued  ;  to  which  Joseph  Gatchell  Answered  if  it  be  so  he  was 
an  Imperfect  saviour  and  a  foole.  And  this  was  a  yeare  agoe 
and  somewhat  more,  as  p'  the  evidences  of  Elizabeth  Gatchell 
and  since  in  the  moneth  of  March  last  past  and  at  other  times 
and  places  hath  uttered  seuirall  horrid  blasphemous  speeches 
saying  ther  was  no  God  devill  or  hell  as  in  and  by  their  evidences 
may  appeare,  contrary  to  the  peace  of  our  Souiraigne  Lord  the 
King  his  croune  and  dignity  the  law  of  God  &  of  this  Jurisdic- 
tion." 

For  his  utterances  Mr.  Gatchell  was  "  sentenced  to  be  returned 
from  this  place  to  the  pillory,  to  have  his  head  and  hand  put  in, 
have  his  toung  drawn  forth  out  of  his  mouth  and  peirct  through 
w***  a  hott  Iron  then  to  be  returned  to  the  prison  there  to 
Remayne  until  he  sattisfye  and  pay  all  y^  charges  of  his  tryall 
and  ffees  of  Court  w*  came  to  seuen  pounds." 

The  remark  is  now  often  heard  that  the  differences  between 
religious  denominations  are  rapidly  lessening  ;  that  the  old  walls 
of  partition  are  crumbling.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is, 
in  general,  quite  true.  We  frequently  see  Baptists,  Methodists, 
Trinitarian  and  Unitarian  Congregationalists,  and  others,  meeting 
on  the  same  platform,  shaking  hands,  and  congratulating  each 
other  on  their  fraternal  nearness.  This,  though  it  sometimes 
seems  to  arise  rather  from  indifference  to  any  religion  at  all, 
than  from  true  spirituality,  is,  at  least  in  a  social  view,  an  im- 
provement on  the  old,  inflexible  ways. 

There  are  at  present  in  Lynn  twenty-five  religious  societies, 
standing  denominationally  as  follows  : 

Methodist,  (i  African)      ....     7 ,  Protestant  Episcopal, I 


Baptist, 5 

Congregational,  (Trinitarian)     .      .  4 

Roman  Catholic, 2 

Universalist, 2 


Congregational,  (Unitarian)       .     .  i 

Friends'       .     .     .     , i 

Second  Advent, I 

Christian I 


Rev.  Samuel  Kertland,  who,  by  request  of  the  Provincial 
Congress,  labored  with  the  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations,  at  the 
opening  of  the  Revolution,  to  induce  them  to  espouse  the  Ame- 
rican cause,  and  was  to  a  considerable  extent  successful,  espe- 
cially with  the  Oneidas,  was  a  direct  descendant  from  Philip 
Kertland,  the  first  Lynn  shoemaker.  Kertland  street,  has  the 
honor  of  perpetuating  the  name. 


Miscellaneous    Notes.  263 

Immigration  of  Rodents.  In  our  Annals,  under  date  1861, 
appears  some  account  of  the  famous  Nahant  Hotel,  a  huge 
structure,  which,  after  an  unsuccessful  career  of  some  years,  as  a 
watering-place  hotel,  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  night  of  Sep- 
tember 12,  of  that  year.  Romantic  stories  were  long  current 
about  the  annual  emigration  of  rats  from  Lynn,  to  its  hospitable 
precincts.  An  old  resident  solemnly  affirmed  that  he  had  seen 
troops  of  the  gluttonous  animals  wending  their  way  over  the 
beaches  towards  those  luxurious  quarters  on  the  opening  of  the 
season  ;  asserting,  with  a  positiveness  that  he  seemed  to  think 
ought  to  insure  belief,  that  on  one  occasion  he  had  seen  an  old 
blind  rat  with  a  long  straw  in  his  mouth,  by  which  some  of  the 
younger  ones  piloted  him  along.  Rats  are  known  to  be  remark- 
ably sagacious  animals,  and  of  extraordinary  acuteness  of  scent. 
Some  may  have  been  toled  up  from  their  hiding  places  among 
the  rocks  ;  but  travelling  over  the  beaches  is  quite  another  thing. 
I'he  story,  however,  is  not  more  wonderful  than  some  other 
stories  told  of  transactions  about  that  celebrated  house. 

The  oldest  portion  of  this  Hotel  was  built  in  1819 ;  and  by  a 
marvelous  coincidence  —  perhaps  we  should  say  gracious  prov- 
idence —  it  was  hardly  finished  when  the  astounding  news  of  the 
first  appearance  of  the  sea-serpent  in  the  offing,  took  the  country 
by  surprise. 

In  the  first  edition  [1829]  of  the  History  of  Lynn  appeared  a 
fine  engraving  of  the  house  as  it  then  stood — picturesque  and 
beautiful  —  with  its  airy  piazzas  and  sunny  surroundings.  And 
in  the  1865  edition  there  was  an  engraving  of  it  as  it  appeared 
at  the  time  of  its  destruction,  in  1861.  The  history  of  this 
noted  establishment  furnishes  some  weighty  lessons  for  enter- 
prising landlords  to  ponder  over. 


Defense  of  Boston.  At  the  building  of  the  fort  in  Boston 
harbor,  in  18 13,  some  eighty-five  of  the  patriotic  men  of  Lynn 
volunteered  to  labor  on  the  works,  one  day.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing they  left  town,  with  drum  and  fife,  rode  to  Winnesimmet 
ferry,  and  were  thence  taken  by  boats  to  the  fortification,  where 
they  industriously  worked  during  the  day,  and  marched  home 
about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  in  jolly  trim,  as  might  have 
been  expected  from  such  an  expedition. 


264  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

Lynn  Post-office.  The  Post-office  was  established  in  1793, 
the  population  being  then  about  2.500  —  including  Lynnfield. 
Saugus,  Swampscott,  and  Nahant.  Ebenezer  Breed,  a  native 
of  the  section  now  known  as  West  Lynn,  and  who  was  at  that 
time  a  prominent  business  man  in  Philadelphia,  but  who  became 
reduced,  and  died  in  our  alms-house,  on  the  23d  of  December, 
1839,  at  the  age  of  74,  was  chiefly  instrumental  in  securing  its 
establishment.  Previously  to  that  time  the  Lynn  people  received 
their  mail  matter  at  Boston.  It  was  ten  years  before  the  Turn- 
pike was  opened,  and  forty-five  before  the  Rail-road  was  built, 
Boston  street  still  being  the  chief  avenue  of  travel  and  business. 
A  biographical  notice  of  Mr.  Breed  may  be  found  in  the  1865 
edition  of  our  History. 

Col.  James  Robinson  was  the  first  post-master.  He  lived  in 
the  ancient  house,  built  in  or  about  the  year  1700,  still  standing 
on  Boston  street  at  the  south-east  corner  of  North  Federal,  and 
kept  the  office  in  a  small  building  near  the  house.  A  large 
family  of  sons  and  daughters  were  there  born  to  him,  and  the 
writer  holds  occasional  correspondence  with  descendants  of  his 
now  dwelling  in  widely  separated  and  distant  parts  of  the  country, 
where  they  maintain  honorable  positions.  Like  many  others 
who  in  active  manhood  did  much  to  advance  the  interests 
of  Lynn,  he  died  in  indigence  and  comparative  obscurity. 

Col.  Robinson  was  succeeded  in  the  office,  in  1802,  by  his 
brother-in-law,  Major  Ezra  Hitchings,  a  biographical  notice  of 
whom  the  reader  may  find  by  turning  to  page  154  of  the  present 
volume.  He  continued  the  office  in  its  first  location,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  West  India  goods  and  grocery  store,  for  the  few 
months  he  held  the  position. 

In  1803,  Samuel  Mulliken  became  post-master.  And  the 
Turnpike  being  opened  that  year  and  diverting  the  travel  and 
business  from  Boston  street,  he  removed  the  office  to  the  south 
end  of  Federal  street,  where,  and  in  the  vicinity,  it  remained  till 
the  Rail-road  was  built,  at  which  time  it  began  to  move  towards 
its  present  location  on  Market  street,  halting  for  a  brief  space 
on  South  Common  street,  corner  of  Pleasant.  Mr.  Mulliken  was 
a  man  of  worth,  and  at  one  time  did  a  large  business  in  tanning 
and  the  morocco  line.  He  possessed  some  occasionally  uncom- 
fortable gifts,  among  which  was  a  notably  uncompromising  will. 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  265 

which  sometimes  led  to  untoward  consequences.  A  whimsical 
instance  is  given  in  our  Annals,  under  date  1847,  where  a  brief 
notice  of  him  appears. 

The  entire  line  of  post-masters  is  as  follows:  1793,  James 
Robinson.  1802,  Ezra  Hitchings.  1803,  Samuel  Mulliken. 
1807,  Elijah  Downing.  1808,  Jonathan  Bacheller.  1829,  Jere- 
miah C.  Stickney.  1839,  Thomas  J.  Marsh.  1841,  Stephen 
Oliver.  1842,  Thomas  B.  Newhall.  1843,  Benjamin  Mudge. 
1849,  Abner  Austin.  1853,  Jeremiah  C.  Stickney.  1858,  Leo- 
nard B.  Usher.  1861,  George  H.  Chase.  1869,  John  Batchelder. 
1877,  John  G.  B.  Adams. 


Lynn  Fire  Department.  The  means  supplied  for  protection 
against  fire  have  long  been  the  boast  of  our  people.  We  have 
hitherto  been  singularly  favored  in  freedom  from  such  great 
losses  by  fire  as  most  places  of  so  extended  a  history  as  ours  have 
suffered  ;  and  well  may  we  fervently  pray  for  a  continuance 
of  our  good  fortune.  But  security  will  be  most  certain  to  result 
from  unrelaxed  preparation. 

The  Department  is  now  well  provided  with  discreet  officers 
and  alert  men,  trained  horses  and  approved  "  machines."  There 
are  five  engines,  worked  by  steam,  and  a  number  of  chemical 
extinguishers  ;  several  thousand  feet  of  hose,  ladders,  hooks, 
and  all  other  things  necessary  for  an  efificient  contest  with  the 
fiery  element.  Then  we  have  about  the  streets  453  tiydrants, 
19  reservoirs,  and  numerous  wells,  to  say  nothing  of  our  brooks 
and  ponds,  Saugus  river,  and  the  Atlantic  ocean. 

The  number  of  fire  alarms  during  1881,  was  122.  And  the 
total  loss  was  ^199.544.50;  of  which  ;^i6i. 877.50  were  returned 
by  way  of  insurance. 

As  the  city  year  by  year  becomes  more  compact,  and  taller 
buildings  and  those  less  isolated  are  erected  in  the  different  neigh- 
borhoods, it  is  evident  that  tireless  vigilance  will  be  required  to 
preserve  our  traditional  immunity.  As  to  the  past,  we  can  only 
speak  favorably ;  and  there  seems  no  reason  to  apprehend  that 
in  the  future  we  may  not  have  as  good  a  record.  There  is, 
indeed,  an  old  insurance  maxim,  declaring  that  all  "  wooden " 
towns,  and  all  large  towns,  must  sooner  or  later  have  a  sweep- 
ing conflagration  ;  but  let  no  one  be  disturbed  by  it,  though  all 


266  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

of  us  have  some  tincture  of  fatalism  ;  let  us  rather  endeavor  to 
show  that  there  may  be  at  least  one  exception. 

Our  authorities  have  all  along  been  prompt  in  adopting  such 
new  measures  and  procuring  such  new  appliances  as  promised 
most  favorably  ;  and  a  policy  of  that  order,  in  municipal  affairs, 
is,  notwithstanding  all  murmuring  and  discontent,  the  most 
approved  and  satisfactory,  whatever  the  result.  Why,  supposing 
the  authorities  had  refused  to  procure  steamers,  or  to  establish 
the  electric  alarm,  or  furnish  hydrants  —  what  would  have  been 
the  effect,  in  many  conceivable  ways  ;  on  insurance  rates,  for  in 
stance  ;  to  say  nothing  of  comfort  and  safety .''  Even  Boston 
worked  the  old  hand  "  machines "  till  within  a  few  years ;  but 
it  was  because  nothing  better  was  known.  Possibly  somewhere 
in  the  future  an  invention  will  be  made  to  supersede  the  best  we 
now  have  ;  and  when  it  comes,  undoubtedly  it  will  be  welcomed 
by  all  who  are  most  faithful  to  our  municipal  interests. 


Lynn  Schools.  So  many  allusions  have  been  all  along  made 
in  our  History,  in  relation  to  the  Schools,  their  grades  and  con- 
dition, that  nothing  more  than  a  remark  or  two  and  a  brief 
summary  can  now  be  desirable.  The  boast  that  these  primary 
seats  of  learning,  in  our  day,  are  far  superior  to  anything  known 
in  former  years,  is  often  heard.  But  is  it  exactly  so  ?  They 
are  unquestionably  superior  in  costliness,  elegance  of  appoint- 
ment and  variety  of  studies.  But  are  they  superior  in  adaptation 
to  existing  wants } 

In  former  years,  such  studies  were  pursued  as  best  prepared 
the  pupil  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  position  he  was  in 
homely  honesty  expected  to  occupy  in  after  life ;  not  such  a 
position  as  imaginative  parental  affection  might  picture.  Theie 
is  so  much  knowledge,  the  possession  of  which  is  sure  to  add  to 
■our  well-being,  that  it  seems  unwise  to  occupy  ourselves  in  efforts 
to  gain  that  which  is  of  doubtful  utility.  It  has  been  said  that 
all  knowledge  is  useful  ;  but  that  must  be  understood  in  a  limited 
sense  ;  most  certainly  all  knowledge  is  not  equaHy  useful.  No 
one  can  learn  everything,  as  life  is  not  long  enough  for  that ; 
and  hence,  is  it  not  the  part  of  wisdom  to  learn  as  thoroughly  as 
may  be,  that  which  is  indispensable,  or  sure  to  be  most  useful  ? 
There  is  a  gray-headed  aphorism  that  speaks  of  the  jack-at-all- 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  267 

trades  being  good  at  none  ;  and  why  not  apply  the  suggestion 
to  the  departments  of  learning  ? 

Our  venerated  fathers,  practical  and  shrewd,  kept  these  things 
in  view.  We  their  children  are  more  prone  to  theorise  ;  more 
charmed  with  the  ideal  ;  perhaps  a  little  more  under  fancy's  lead. 
But  it  may  be  asked,  Is  not  the  mind  more  fully  developed  and 
strengthened,  better  disciplined  and  polished,  through  these 
modern  requirements  —  are  not  more  extensive,  beautiful,  and 
ennobling  avenues  of  thought  opened  through  such  means  ?  This 
is  a  point  for  the  wisest  to  discuss.  And  some  philosophical 
"exploring  circle"  may  yet  discover  a  way  out  of  the  difficulties 
that  beset  the  great  educational  interest.  Every  true  philanthro- 
pist will  pray  for  the  adoption  of  any  course  that  will  make  men 
better  and  happier ;  for  there  yet  linger  in  the  world  vice  and 
misery  enough  to  call  for  determined  warfare  with  the  best 
weapons  we  can  find. 

The  studies  in  our  common  schools,  are  however,  apparently 
to  an  injudicious  extent,  prescribed  by  statute  ;  and  hence  to  the 
local  supervisors  entire  freedom  of  action  is  not  allowed  ;  but 
there  are  so  many  details  to  be  observed,  so  much  care  and 
oversight  to  be  exercised,  that  their  sphere  of  duty  is  large  and 
their  labors  great.  The  School  Committee  is  wisely  made  by 
law,  to  a  considerable  extent,  an  independent  board,  a  board  not 
to  be  controlled  by  the  caprices  of  any  other  body,  whose  line 
of  duty  may  not  be  expected  to  embrace  special  qualifications. 

The  full  and  perspicuous  reports  made  annually  by  the  Com- 
mittee furnish  all  the  information  that  can  be  needed  by  our 
fellow-citizens  to  understand  the  condition  and  requirements 
of  the  entire  educational  interest.  And  a  few  statistical  items 
only  need  be  added  here.  It  is  easier  for  lookers-on  to  make 
suggestions,  perhaps  very  good  in  themselves,  than  to  show  how 
they  can  be  properly  dove-tailed  into  a  system  ;  but  it  is  yet 
true  that  useful  suggestions  may  sometimes  come  from  minds 
hardly  expected  to  bear  ripened  fruit.  There  seems  no  reason 
to  doubt,  that  with  here  and  there  an  exception,  those  selected 
to  supervise  our  schools  are  actuated  by  a  sincere  desire  faithfully 
to  perform  their  responsible  duties,  and  endeavor  to  adopt  the 
best  means  to  accomplish  the  best  ends. 

Number  of  Schools.     The  whole  number  of  our  Public  Schools, 


268  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

in  1 88 1,  was  64:  namely,  i  High  School  ;  7  Grammar  Schools  ; 
55  Primary  Schools  ;   i  Evening  Drawing  School. 

School  Houses:  These  are  in  number  as  follows:  for  High 
School,  I  ;  for  Grammar  Schools,  7;  for  Primary  Schools,  21  ; 
and  there  are  7  Primary  Schools  in  Grammar  School-houses. 

Teachers.  Whole  number  in  day  Schools,  118;  in  evening 
Drawing  School,  3. 

Pupils.  Number  belonging  to  all  the  day  Schools,  between 
the  ages  of  5  and  1 5  years,  5.516;  of  the  age  of  1 5,  and  upwards, 
400  ;  making  the  pupils  in  the  day  Schools,  5.916. 

HigJi  School  Graduates,  June  i,  1881,  30. 

Cost  of  Support.  The  following  extract  from  the  Report  of 
the  Committee  for  1881,  sufficiently  exhibits  the  items  of  expen- 
diture : 

The  charge  upon  the  city  for  the  maintenance  of  its  system  of  public  schools  has 
been  $93,677  17,  divided  into  the  following  items  of  expenditure  : 

Teachers'  salaries, $65,823  79 

School-houses  and  repairs, 6.042  65 

Apparatus  and  furniture, 2.058  69 

Care  of  school-houses, 6.438  78 

Fuel, 5.030  86 

Books  and  stationery,         .......  5.452  45 

Printing, 1.285  63 

Incidentals, 1-544  32 

Total, $93-677  17 

To  grain  some  knowledge  of  the  increase  in  our  school  svstem, 
the  reader  can  refer  to  the  brief  summary  on  page  586  of  our 
1865  edition.  The  number  of  schools  at  that  time  was  48; 
teachers,  59  ;  pupils.  4-332. 


Lynn  Newspapers.  The  proximity  of  Lynn  to  Boston  and 
Salem,  may  be  sufficient  to  account  for  our  not  having  had  a 
local  newspaper  before  the  year  1825.  And  for  forty  years  after 
that  date  it  can  hardly  be  claimed  that  we  had  a  permanently 
successful  publication,  in  a  pecuniary  way,  though  there  were  three 
or  four  that  by  their  ability  and  usefulness  well  deserved  success. 
But  within  the  last  few  years  a  great  advance  has  been  made. 
The  papers  are  now  much  better,  as  a  general  thing,  and  much 
cheaper ;  and  they  have  greatly  improved  in  the  quality  of  the 
paper,  the  printing,  and  in  the  mechanical  aspect  generally  ; 
excepting  that  just  now  it  is  the  fashion  to  make  such  displays 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  269 

in  the  advertising  columns  that  some  have  the  appearance  of 
tradesmen's  handbills. 

The  relative  number  of  readers  has  increased  quite  as  rapidly 
as  anything  connected  with  the  business.  At  the  time  Mr. 
Lummus  published  the  Mirror,  four  hundred  subscribers  were 
thought  a  goodly  number  for  a  country  weekly  ;  and  thus  it  was, 
with  here  and  there  an  exception,  for  many  years.  Indeed 
the  great  bulk  of  working  people  thought  they  could  not  afford 
to  take  a  paper ;  and  it  was  not  difficult  after  a  little  experience, 
for  a  publisher  to  know  on  just  what  individuals  to  call,  with  any 
prospect  of  success,  when  he  set  out  on  his  soliciting  tours. 
The  writer  well  remembers  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Lummus, 
during  which,  in  his  hyperbolical  way,  he  remarked  after  this  sort : 
Why,  I  know  just  who  will  take  a  paper  ;  I  can  get  four  hundred 
subscribers  for  anything  I  will  print ;  but  I  can't  get  four  hundred 
and  one  —  without  I  will  accept  a  Woodender  ;  and  do  you  sup- 
pose I  would  do  that .''  His  antipathy  to  the  people  of  Woodend 
would  often  crop  out  in  that  brusk  way.  Yet  it  is  doubtful  whe- 
ther the  feeling  was  not  rather  feigned  than  real,  for  some  of  his 
best  friends  and  correspondents  lived  in  that  section  —  Mr. 
Lewis  and  Enoch  Curtin,  for  instance.  But  his  tart  declaration 
that  if  certain  persons  wanted  his  paper  they  would  have  to 
move  out  of  Woodend  to  get  it,  was  made  while  he  was  actually 
crossing  their  names  from  the  carrier's  list. 

The  papers  were  then  published  strictly  on  the  subscription 
plan,  the  purchase  of  single  copies  being  almost  unknown. 

We  now  [1882]  have  in  Lynn  two  dailies  and  four  weeklies, 
that  circulate  their  thousands  ;  and  by  the  ability  and  industry 
of  their  conductors  deserve  the  success  they  enjoy.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  home  supply,  thousands  of  papers  from  Boston  and 
other  places  are  every  day  sold  in  our  streets.  The  Lynn  papers 
are  at  this  time  as  follows  : 

Daily  Evening  Item,  established  in  1877. 

The  Lynn  Bee,  (daily)  established  in  1880. 

The  Lynn  Reporter,  (weekly)  established  in  1854. 

The  Lynn  Transcj^pt,  (weekly)  established  in  1867. 

The  Lynn  City  Item,  (weekly)  established  in  1876. 

The  Lynn  Union,  (weekly)  established  as  The  Lynn  Record,  in 
1872  —  adopting  the  name  of  the  old  Record,  of  1830. 


270  Miscellaneous   Notes. 

Lynn  Hospital.  This  beneficent  institution  was  incorporated 
in  1880,  and  after  a  thorough  examination  into  the  merits  of 
several  proposed  locations,  early  in  1882  the  Hathorne  estate,  so 
called,  on  Boston  street,  was  purchased  as  a  site  for  the  necessary 
buildings.  It  is  on  the  southerly  side  of  the  street,  a  few  rods 
east  of  Franklin.  The  brook  which  runs  from  Flax  Pond  flows 
in  front,  and  in  the  vicinity  rise  abrupt  woody  hills,  with  here 
and  there  a  towering  porphyry  cliff;  the  whole  surrounding 
being  strikingly  picturesque.  It  is  in  the  quarter  known  from 
early  times  as  Mansfield's  End.  Deacon  Mansfield's  house  stood 
on  the  hospital  grounds  ;  and  there,  also,  one  or  two  other  con- 
spicuous individuals  of  the  name  resided.  And  being  on  the 
principal  thoroughfare,  some  of  the  most  prominent  people  of  the 
town  lived  in  the  vicinity.  The  old  mansion  standing  at  the 
time  the  hospital  corporation  purchased,  was  long  known  as  the 
Deacon  Farrington  house,  that  dignitary  having  lived  there  for 
some  years.  Long  afterwards  it  was  occupied  by  Capt.  John 
White,  of  the  United  States  navy,  who,  in  addition  to  his  fame 
as  a  naval  commander,  gained  some  reputation  as  an  author. 
Subsequently  it  was  occupied  by  Rev.  Mr.  Barlow,  second  min- 
ister of  the  Unitarian  society,  and  later  still  by  William  Hathorne, 
from  whom  it  took  the  name  of  Hathorne  house.  The  estate 
formerly  embraced  many  acres  ;  and  Washington  street  was- 
extended  over  a  portion. 

In  our  Annals,  under  date  1875,  ^  "  Lynn  Hospital  "  is  spoken 
of  as  having  been  formally  opened  on  the  31st  of  March,  in  the 
Phillips  mansion,  on  Water  Hill.  The  site  was  airy  and  pleasant, 
and  the  institution  seemed  to  be  doing  much  good.  But  the 
contributions  for  its  support  were  not  sufficient,  and  its  doors 
were  soon  closed,  much  to  the  regret  of  worthy  but  not  wealthy 
friends. 

Several  liberal  donations  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  present 
hospital  have  already  been  made,  the  largest  of  which  was  by 
John  B.  Alley  —  ^10.000.  John  B.  Tolman,  an  old  Lynn  printer, 
gave  $2,500,  in  respect  of  his  craftship.  And  numerous  other 
generous  contributions  have  been  made,  some  of  hundreds  of 
dollars,  and  thence  down  even  to  a  few  cents.  Little  tin  recep- 
tacles were  deposited  all  about  the  city,  in  convenient  places,. 
to  receive  the  sanctified  mite  that  even  a  poor  widow  might  give.. 


Miscellaneous  Notes.  271 

Population  of  Lynn.  At  this  time  [1882]  the  population 
no  doubt  is  a  very  little  above  40.000.  The  last  numbering 
related  to  June  i,  1880;  and  at  that  time  we  had  38.284;  — 
males,  18.255  5  females,  20.029.  From  the  first,  there  has  been 
a  steady,  but  not  rapid  accession.  The  first  recorded  census, 
[1765]  gave  the  number  of  inhabitants  as  2.198.  In  1800,  it  was 
2.837.  Ii^  1820,4.515.  And  for  each  ten  years  thereafter,  the 
enumeration  has  stood  as  follows  —  Swampscott  having  been  set 
off  in  1852,  and  Nahant  in  1853  : 

Years    :    :    :    :    183O  184O  185O  1860  187O  1880 

Population  :    :   6. 1 38  9.367  14-257         I9.083        28.233      38.284 


Streets  of  Lynn.  The  number  of  streets,  the  present  year, 
[1882]  is  509,  and  the  lighting  is  by  313  gas  burners  and  253 
kerosene  lamps.  The  first  paved  street  was  Munroe  ;  and  the 
paving  was  done  during  the  summer  of  the  year  just  named, 
the  material  being  dimension  granite  blocks.  It  has  hitherto 
been  an  expensive  and  laborious  charge  to  keep  our  streets  in 
a  proper  condition,  for  they  are  extensive  and  not  in  all  cases  laid 
upon  the  best  bottoms.  But  yet  they  have  been  kept  in  remark- 
ably good  repair,  for  we  have  had  at  hand  a  supply  of  serviceable 
material.  Our  many  beautiful  drives  have  long  been  a  source 
of  boasting  for  ourselves  and  of  pleasure  for  visitors.  When 
however,  a  place  has  attained  a  population  of  forty  thousands, 
something  more  than  crushed  stone  and  gravel  is  needed  on  the 
constantly  used  avenues. 


Police  Business  —  Police  Court.  The  number  of  arrests  for 
criminal  offences,  in  1881,  was  1.289;  among  them,  for  drunken- 
ness, 771  ;  assault  and  battery,  156;  larceny,  89 ;  truancy,  30  ; 
profanity,  27;  vagrancy,  21  ;  breaking  and  entering,  20;  stubborn- 
ness, 16;  malicious  mischief,  13;  violation  of  liquor  law,  12; 
and  one  or  more  for  almost  every  other  offence  known  in  the 
catalogue  of  crime.  A  large  portion  of  the  persons  arrested 
were  examined  in  the  Police  Court. 

Down  to  1849,  all  justices  of  the  peace  here,  had  authority  to 
try  minor  cases,  civil  or  criminal.  But  population  having  then 
become  considerable,  it  was  thought  best  to  have  some  more 


2/2  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

centralized  and  regular  jurisdiction.  In  pursuance  of  this  view 
the  writer  headed  a  petition  to  the  town  asking  their  intercession 
with  the  legislature  for  the  establishment  of  a  Police  Court.  The 
matter  was  favorably  acted  on,  and  the  Court  went  into  operation 
during  that  year.  It  was  made  a  court  of  record,  in  1862.  And 
before  it  are  tried  the  "  small  cawses,"  as  they  were  called  in 
colonial  times,  civil  and  criminal.  It  has  a  Standing  Justice, 
two  Special  Justices,  and  a  Clerk.     See  Annals,  1879. 


Children's  Home.  In  1881  a  two-story  wooden  building 
was  erected  on  To\yer  Hill,  and  called  by  the  above  name  —  the 
purpose  being  to  provide  suitable  nurture  and  education  for 
exposed  young  children,  to  save  them  from  the  stigma  of  work- 
house life  and  from  the  sometimes  worse  consequences  of  vicious 
and  degraded  homes.  The  house  occupies  one  of  the  most 
healthy  and  beautiful  sites  in  all  Lynn  —  airy,  and  commanding 
charming  views.  This  unpretending  institution  can  hardly  fail 
to  do  a  meritorious  work,  and  may  be  the  means  not  only 
of  saving  many  from  lives  of  degradation  and  misery,  but  of 
developing  characters  that  will  in  a  ten-fold  degree  repay  all  the 
cost  and  care  that  the  benevolent  enterprise  will  involve.  At 
the  opening  of  the  Home,  in  1882,  some  twenty-five  children 
were  received  from  the  alms-house. 


Statistical  Items.  As  elsewhere  remarked,  it  can  hardly 
be  necessary  to  occupy  much  space  with  statistical  details,  as 
the  information  that  is  given  year  by  year  in  our  Annals,  supplies 
all  that  will  in  most  cases  be  desirable.  And  then,  as  to  the 
management  of  our  municipal  affairs :  the  annual  reports  from 
the  various  departments  are  so  full  and  so  accessible,  that  nothing 
beyond  here  and  there  a  brief  summary  can  now  be  needed.  Yet, 
in  a  work  of  this  kind,  which  in  years  hence  may  be  looked  to  for 
information  of  almost  every  kind  there  is  scarcely  any  topic  that 
should  be  passed  by  in  entire  silence.  The  few  items  that  follow 
relate  to  the  year  1881,  excepting  where  otherwise  stated. 

Valuation  and  Taxation.  The  total  valuation  of  the  city  was 
^24.992.084,  viz:  Real  Estate,  $19,036,008;  Personal  Estate, 
1^5.956.076.  Rate  of  taxation,  1^17.40  on  $1,000.  [In  1882  the  valu- 
ation was  a  little  lower,  and  the  rate  of  taxation  $21.00  on  $1,000.] 


Miscellaneous   Notes.  273 

City  Debt.  Whole  debt,  ;^2. 208.000.00  ;  but  by  certain  assets, 
usual  in  municipal  reckoning,  the  net  amount  of  the  debt  was 
$1,646,633.94. 

Appropriations  and  Expenditures.  Whole  amount  of  appropri- 
ations, including  certain  receipts,  $706,591.15.  Expenditures, 
;^686. 5  7 1. 45. 

New  Buildings.  Two  hundred  and  sixty-five  buildings  were 
erected  during  the  year  —  253  of  wood,  11  of  brick,  and  one 
of  stone.  153  were  dwellings.  That  the  frequent  removal 
of  buildings,  for  which  Lynn  has  been  long  noted,  is  a  custom 
still  in  practice,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  during  the  year  sixty- 
two  were  started  on  their  travels. 

Number  of  Polls — 10.990.     [In  1882,  11.465.] 

The  number  of  Houses  in  Lynn,  in  1882,  was  6.309.  The 
number  oi  Horses,  1.962.     The  number  of  Cows,  438. 

Free  Public  Library.  There  is,  and  always  has  been,  a  steady 
accession  to  the  number  of  volumes  in  this  institution,  from 
month  to  month,  and,  it  is  believed,  a  corresponding  increase  in 
its  usefulness.  The  number  of  volumes  at  the  close  of  1881  was 
30.500  —  a  very  satisfactory  growth  from  the  4000  of  1862. 
Number  delivered  during  the  year,  95.927.  The  largest  number 
taken  out  in  one  day  was  on  Saturday,  March  5,  when  972  were 
delivered. 

Pine  Grove  Cemetery.  The  number  of  interments  in  this 
beautiful  burial  place,  during  the  year,  was  418,  which  was  a 
little  more  than  half  of  the  whole  number  who  died,  the  other 
burial  places  receiving  the  remains  of  the  others.  The  first  inter- 
ment in  this  cemetery  was  on  Sunday,  October  13,  1850,  when 
the  remains  of  Harriet  Newell,  wife  of  George  W.  Stocker,  were 
laid  there.  And  the  whole  number  of  burials  there  has  now 
reached  7.801. 

Vital  Statistics.  There  were  799  deaths  in  Lynn,  during 
1 88 1,  of  which  153  were  by  consumption,  59  by  pneumonia,  50 
by  diphtheria,  39  by  cholera  infantum,  24  by  typhoid  fever,  and 
6  by  scarlet  fever.  Two  hundred  and  seventy-two  of  the  deceased 
were  under  the  age  of  five  years. 

Marriages.     The  number  of  marriages  during  1881,  was  513. 

Banks  —  of  discount  and  circulation,  4,  with  an  aggregate 
capital  of  $1,000,000.     Savings  banks,  2. 

t8 


274  Miscellaneous  Notes. 

City  Clerks.  In  our  1865  edition  may  be  found  a  list 
of  Clerks  of  the  Writs  and  Town  Clerks,  extending  back  to  the 
earliest  days.  It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  the  list  here.  But  it 
may  be  convenient  for  the  reader  to  have  by  him  the  names 
of  the  City  Clerks,  in  the  order  in  which  they  served.  And  hav- 
ing at  hand  engraved  fac-similes  of  their  autographs  it  may  not 
be  amiss  to  use  them,  as  they  will  not  require  much  space, 
although  one  or  two  appear  in  other  connections  in  the  present 
volume. 


William  Bassett  —  Served  in  1850, '51  and  '52. 


Charles  Merritt  —  Served  in  1853,  '54,  '56,  '57  and  '58. 
John  Batchelder  —  Served  in  1855. 

Ephraim  a.  Ingalls  —  Served  in  1859  and  '60. 

Benjamin  H.  Jones  —  Served  from  1861  to  1875,  both  inclusive. 


Charles  E.  Parsons — Elected  in  1S76,  and  yet  [1882]  in  otiice. 

It  need  not  be  remarked  that  the  Clerks  are  elected  annually 
by  the  City  Council.  And  the  neatness  and  accuracy  of  the 
multifarious  records  are  the  best  evidence  that  thus  far  no 
mistake  in  the  choice  has  occurred. 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


A  GOOD  Chronological  Table  is,  of  itself,  a  succinct  history. 
And  the  following  is  inserted  without  hesitation,  on  account 
of  its  unquestionable  usefulness,  though  it  was  prepared  by  the 
writer  for  the  Centennial  Memorial,  in  which  and  in  the  book 
giving  an  account  of  the  proceedings  on  the  celebration  of  our 
Two  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary,  it  substantially  appeared. 
Additions,  however,  have  been  made,  and  occurrences  down  to 
1882,  noted. 

1629.  Five  families,  ciiief  among  them  Edmund  Ingalls  and  his  brother  Francis, 

arrive  and  commence  the  settlement. 

1630.  Thomas  Newhall  born  —  the  first  person  of  European  parentage  born  here. 
Wolves  kill  several  swine  belonging  to  the  settlers,  September  30. 

Fifty  settlers,  chiefly  farmers,  and  many  of  them  with  families,  arrive  and 
locate  in  different  parts  of  the  territory. 

163 1.  Governor  Winthrop  passed  through  the  settlement,  October  28,  and  noted 

that  the  crops  were  plentiful. 

1632.  First  Church  —  fifth  in  the  colony  —  formed  ;  Stephen  Bachelor,  minister. 

1633.  A  corn  mill,  the  first  in  the  settlement,  built  on  Strawberry  brook. 

1634.  John  Humfrey  arrives  and  settles  near  Nahant  street. 

The  settlement  sends  her  first  Representative  —  Capt.  Nathaniel  Turner  —  to 

the  General  Court. 
William  Wood,  one  of  the  first  comers,  publishes  "  New  Englands  Prospedt.' 
r-  1635.     Philip  Kertland,  the  first  shoemaker,  arrives. 

1637.  Name  of  the  settlement  changed  from  Saugus  to  Lynn. 

At  this  time  there  were  thirty-seven  plows  in  the  colony,  most  of  them  in  Lynn. 
Settlement  of  Sandwich  commenced  by  emigrants  from  Lynn. 

1638.  Firstdivision  of  lands  among  the  inhabitants. 

1639.  Ferry  established  across  Saugus  river. 

First  bridge  over  Saugus  river  at  Boston  street  crossing  buUt. 

1643.  Iron  works  established  near  Saugus  river ;  the  first  in  America. 

1644.  Hugh  Bert  and  Samuel  Bennett,  of  Lynn,  presented  to  the  grand  jury  as 

"  common  sleepers  in  time  of  exercise."    Both  were  convicted  and  fined. 
1646.     Lynn  made  a  market  town  —  Tuesday,  the  lecture  day,  being  market  day. 
1658.     Dungeon  rock  alleged  to  have  been  rent  by  an  earthquake,  entombing  alive 

Thomas  Veal,  the  pirate,  with  treasure. 
(275) 


2/6  Chronological  Table. 

1666.  A  year  of  disasters.  Several  die  of  small  po.x.  "Divers  are  slain  by  light- 
ning."    Grasshoppers  and  caterpillars  do  much  mischief. 

1669.     Boniface  Burton  dies,  aged  113  years. 

1671.  A  year  remarkable  for  storms.  A  violent  snow  storm,  Jan.  18,  with  much 
thunder  and  lightning. 

1680.  Dr.  Philip  Read,  the  first  physician  here,   complains  to  the  Court  of  Mrs. 

Margaret  Gifford,  as  a  witch. 
The  great  Newtonian  comet  appears  in  November,  exciting  much  alarm. 

1681.  The  Court  allows  Lynn  to  have  two  licensed  public  houses. 

1682.  Old  Tunnel  Meeting-house  built. 

1686.  Indian  deed  of  Lynn  given,  September  4. 

1687.  Thomas  Newhall,  the  first  white  person  born  here,  dies,  in  March,  aged  57. 

1688.  Excitement  about  Edward  Randolph's  petition  for  a  grant  of  all  Nahant. 
1692.  Great  witchcraft  excitement. 

1694.  A  church  fast  appointed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Shepard,  July  19,  for  the  arrest  of  the 
"spiritual  plague"  of  Quakerism. 

1696.  Severe  winter  ;  coldest  since  the  settlement  commenced  ;  much  suffering. 

1697.  Great  alarm  on  account  of  small  pox. 

1706.  Second  division  of  lands  among  the  inhabitants. 

1708.  A  public  fast  held  on  account  of  the  ravages  of  caterpillars  and  canker  worms. 

1716.  Extraordinary  darkness  at  noonday,  Oct.  21  ;  dinner  tables  lighted. 

1 71 7.  Memorable  snow  storms,  Feb.  20  and  24  ;  one-story  houses  buried. 
1719.  Northern  lights  observed  for  the  first  time,  Dec.  17  ;  an  alarming  display. 
1723.  Terrific  storm,  Feb.  24.     The  sea  came  in  raging  and  roaring  fearfully. 

First  mill  on  Saugus  river,  at  Boston  street  crossing,  built. 
1726.     ;^I3I5  awarded  to  Nathaniel  Potter,  for  linen  manufactured  in  Lynn. 
1745.     Rev.  Mr.  Whitefield  preaches  on  Lynn  Common,  creating  much  excitement. 

1749.  Great  drought,  hot  summer,  and  immense  multitudes  of  grasshoppers. 

1750.  John  Adam  Dagyr,  an  accomplished  shoemaker,  arrives. 

1755.  Greatest  earthquake  ever  known  in  New  England,  occurs  Nov.  18. 

A  whale,  seventy-five  feet  in  length,  landed  on  King's  Beach,  Dec.  9. 

1759.  A  bear,  weighing  400  pounds,  killed  in  Lynn  woods. 

1768.  A  catamount  killed  in  Lynn  woods,  by  Joseph  Williams. 

1770.  Potato  rot  prevails,  and  canker  worms  commit  great  ravages. 

1775,  Battle  of  Lexington,  April  19  —  five  Lynn  men  killed. 

1776.  Twenty-six  negro  slaves  owned  in  Lynn. 

1780.  Memorable  dark  day.  May  19  ;  houses  lighted  as  at  night. 

1782.  Whole  number  of  votes  given  in  Lynn,  for  governor,  57  ;  all  but  5  for  Hancock. 

1784.  Gen.  Lafayette  passed  through  Lynn,  Oct.  28.  receiving  enthusiastic  plaudits. 

1788.  Gen.  Washington  passed  through  town,  in  October,  and  was  afi"ectionately 
greeted  by  old  and  young. 

1793.  Lynn  post-ofiice  established,  and  first  kept  on  Boston  street,  near  Federal. 

1794.  On  Christmas  day,  at  noon,  in  the  open  air,  the  thermometer  stood  at  80  deg. 

1795.  Ei^'g  P^ggy  wrecked  on  Long  Beach,  Dec.  9,  and  eleven  lives  lost. 

1796.  The  first  fire  engine  for  public  use  purchased. 

1800.     Memory  of  Washington  honored  ;  procession  and  eulogy,  January  13. 

An  elephant  first  exhibited  in  Lynn.     First  dancing  school  opened. 

Manufacture  of  morocco  introduced. 
1803.     Boston  and  Salem  Turnpike  opened,  and  Lynn  Hotel  built. 

A  snow  storm  occurred  in  May,  the  fruit  trees  being  then  in  bloom. 

Miles  Shorey  and  his  wife  killed  by  lightning,  July  10. 


Chronological   Table.  277 

1804.  Independence  day  first  celebrated  in  Lynn.     Snow  fell  in  July. 

1805.  First  Masonic  Lodge  —  Mount  Carmel  —  constituted  June  lo. 
1808.     First  law  office  in  Lynn,  opened  by  Benjamin  Merrill. 

Great  bull  fight  at  Half  Way  House.     Bulls  and  bull  dogs  engaged. 

Lynn  Artillery  chartered,  November  i8,  and  allowed  two  brass  field  pieces. 

Trapping  Lobsters  first  practised  at  Swampscott. 

1812.  Lynn  Light  Infantry  chartered,  June  30. 

1813.  Moll  Pitcher,  the  celebrated  fortune-teller,  dies,  April  9,  aged  75. 
1814-     Lynnfield  incorporated  as  a  separate  town. 

First  Town  House  built. 
First  Bank  established. 

181 5.  Saugus  incorporated  as  a  separate  town. 

Terrific  southeasterly  gale,  Sept.  23  ;  ocean  spray  driven  several  miles  inland  ; 
fruit  on  the  trees  impregnated  with  salt. 

1816.  Great  horse  trot  on  the  Turnpike,  in  Lynn,  Sept.  i  ;  said  to  be  the  first  in 

New  England.  Major  Stackpole's  "  Old  Blue "  trotted  three  miles  in 
eight  minutes  and  forty-two  seconds. 

1817.  President  Munroe  passed  through  town. 

1819.     The  great  sea-serpent  appears  off  Long  Beach.     Nahant  Hotel  built.     Alms- 
house at  Tower  Hill  built. 

1824.  Gen.  Lafayette  visits  Lynn,  Aug.  31,  and  is  enthusiastically  welcomed. 

1825.  First  Lynn  newspaper  —  the  Weekly  Mirror  —  issued  September  3. 

1826.  First  Savings  Bank  incorporated. 

1827.  ■  Broad  and  brilliant  night  arch,  Aug.  28. 

1828.  A  whale,  sixty  feet  long,  cast  ashore  on  Whale  Beach,  May  2. 

1829.  Splendid  display  of  frosted  trees,  Jan.  10. 

1830.  Donald  McDonald,  a  Scotchman,  dies  in  Lynn  alms-house,  Oct.  4,  aged  108. 

He  was  at  the  battle  of  Quebec  when  Wolfe  fell,  and  at  Braddock's  defeat. 

1832.  First  Lynn  Directory  published  by  Charles  F.  Lummus. 

1833.  Extraordinary  shower  of  meteors,  Nov.  13. 

1837.  Surplus   United   States   revenue   distributed.     Lynn   received   $14,879,  and 

applied  it  to  the  payment  of  the  town  debt.  Saugus  received  $3,500,  and 
appropriated  it  to  the  building  of  a  Town  Hall.  Lynnfield  received 
$1,328  29,  and  applied  it  to  the  town  debt. 

1838.  Eastern  Rail-road  opened  for  travel  from  Boston  to  Salem,  Aug.  28. 

1841.     The  first  picture  by  the  new  art  known  as  Daguerreotype,  or  Photography, 
ever  taken  in  Lynn,  was  a  landscape,  taken  this  year,  by  James  R.  Newhall, 
by  apparatus  imported  from  France. 
1843.     A  splended  comet ;  first  appeared  about  noonday,  Feb.  i. 

Schooner  Thomas  wrecked  on  Long  Beach,  March  17,  five  men  perishing. 
Breed's  Pond  formed.     Theophilus  N.  Breed  built  a  dam  acrcDss  the  valley,  on 
the  northeast  of  Oak  street,  flowing  some  fifty  acres,  thus  forming  the 
pond  and  securing  water  power  for  his  iron  works. 

1846.  Mexican  war  commenced.     Lynn  furnished  twenty  volunteers. 
Congress  boots  began  to  be  manufactured. 

Destructive  fire  on  Water  Hill,  Aug.  9.     Large  brick  silk-printing  establish- 
ment, spice  and  coffee  mill,  and  two  or  three  smaller  buildings  destroyed. 

1847.  President  Polk  made  a  short  visit  to  Lynn,  July  5. 

1848.  Carriage  road  over  harbor  side  of  Long  Beach  built. 
Lynn  Common  fenced. 

George  Gray,  the  hermit,  dies,  Feb.  28,  aged  78. 


2/8  Chronological  Table. 

1849.  Lynn  Police  Court  established. 
Large  emigration  to  California. 

1850.  Lynn  adopts  the  city  form  of  government. 
Pine  Grove  Cemetery  consecrated,  July  24. 

Thirteen  persons  of  a  pic-nic  party  from  Lynn,  drowned  in  Ljnnfield  Pond, 

August  15. 
Ten  hour  system  —  that  is,  ten  hours  to  constitute  a  day's  work — generall 

adopted.     Previously  the  time  was  indefinite.     Bells  were  rung  at  6  p.  m. 

1851.  On  March  18,  and  April  15,  the  tide,  during  violent  storms,  swept  entirely 

over  Long  Beach. 

Hiram  Marble  commences  the  excavation  of  Dungeon  Rock. 
.—  1852.     Swampscott  incorporated  as  a  separate  town. 

Louis  Kossuth,  the  Hungarian  exile,  is  enthusiastically  received  here.  May  6, 

Henry  Clay's  death  noticed  ;  flags  raised  at  half-mast  and  bells  tolled,  July  3 

Funeral   services  in  memory  of  Daniel    Webster,  in   First  Congregational 
meeting-house,  Oct.  29,  the  day  of  the  statesman's  burial  at  Marshfield. 
,-•    1853.     Nahant  incorporated  as  a  separate  town,  March  29. 

Prize  fight  on  Lynnfield  road,  Jan  3  ;  parties  arrested. 

Illuminating  gas  first  lighted  in  Lynn,  Jan,  13. 

Cars  commence  running  over  Saugus  Branch  Rail-road,  Feb.  I. 

1855.  City  Charter  so  amended  as  to  have  the  municipal  year  commence  on  the 

first  Monday  of  January  instead  of  the  first  Monday  of  April. 

1856.  Two  bald  eagles  appear  on  the  ice  in  Lynn  harbor,  Jan.  17. 

Ezra  R.  Tebbetts,  of  Lynn,  killed  by  a  snow-slide  from  a  house  in  Bromfield 

street,  Boston,  Feb.  12. 
Egg  Rock  light  shown  for  the  first  time,  Sept.  15. 

1857.  Bark  Tedesco  wrecked  at  Swampscott,  all  on  board,  twelve  in  number,  perish- 

ing, Jan.  18. 
Many  small  pearls  found  in  muscles  at  Floating  Bridge  and  Flax  ponds. 
Trawl  fishing  began  to  be  practised  this  year. 

1858.  Telegraphic  communication  between  Lynn  and  other  places  established. 
Impromptu  Atlantic  cable  celebration,  Aug.  17,  on  the  arrival  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria's message  to  President  Buchanan. 

Blue  fish  appear  in  the  offing,  in  large  numbers,  in  early  autumn,  and  are 
supposed  to  have  carried  on  a  successful  war  against  the  menhaden,  as 
bushels  of  the  latter  were  picked  up  dead  on  the  shore. 

Magnificent  comet,  Donati's,  visible  in  the  north-west,  in  the  autumn. 

Catholic  Cemetery,  St.  Mary's,  consecrated,  Nov.  4. 

1859.  British  bark  Vernon,  from  Messina,  driven  ashore  on  Long  Beach,  Feb.  2. 

crew  saved  by  life-boat. 

Roman  Catholic  church,  St.  Mary's,  Ash  street,  burned.  May  28. 

Brilliant  display  of  northern  lights  ;  whole  heavens  covered,  Aug.  28. 

Union  street  Methodist  meeting-house  destroyed  by  fire,  Nov.  20. 

Church  bells  tolled  at  sunrise,  noon  and  sunset,  Dec.  2,  in  observance  of  the 
execution  of  John  Brown,  at  Charlestown,  Va. 
i860.     Harbor  so  frozen  in  January,  that  persons  walked  across  to  Bass  Point 

Shoemakers'  great  strike  commenced  in  February. 

Prince  of  Wales  passed  through  Lynn,  Oct.  20. 

First  horse  rail-road  cars  commence  running,  Nov.  29. 

Market  street  first  lighted  by  gas,  Dec.  7. 
1861.     Alonzo  Lewis,  historian  and  poet,  dies,  Jan.  21,  aged  66. 


Chronological   Table.  279 

1861.  A  splendid  comet  suddenly  appears,  July  2,  the  tail  having  actually  swept  the 

earth,  three  days  before,  producing  no  disturbance,  and  only  a  slight 

apparently  auroral  light  in  the  atmosphere. 
The  extensive  edifice  known  as  Nahant  Hotel,  destroyed  by  fire,  Sept.  12. 
Lynn  Light  Infantry  and  Lynn  City  Guards,  two  full  companies,  start  for  the 

seat  of  the  Southern  Rebellion,  April   16,  only  four  days  after  the  attack 

on  Fort  Sumter,  and  but  five  hours  after  the  arrival  of  President  Lincoln's 

call  for  troops. 

1862.  Lynn  Free  Public  Library  opened. 

Enthusiastic  war  meeting  on  the  Common,  on  Sunday,  Aug.  31  ;   church 

services  omitted. 
Soldiers'  Burial  Lot,  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  laid  out. 
Nathan  Breed,  jr.,  murdered  in  his  store.  Summer  street,  Dec.  23. 

1863.  Extraordinary  ravages  of  caterpillars  and  canker  worms. 

1864.  The  thermometer  rose  to   104  degrees  in  shady  places,  in  Lynn,  June  25  ; 

indicating  the  warmest  day,  here,  of  which  there  had  been  any  record. 
Free  delivery  of  post-office  matter  begins. 

Great  drought  and  extensive  fires  in  the  woods,  during  the  summer. 
First  steam  fire  engine  owned  by  the  city,  arrives,  Aug.  11. 
The  Town  House  burned,  Oct.  6,  and  Joseph  Bond,  confined  in  the  lockup, 

burned  to  death. 
Schooner  Lion,  from  Rockland,  Me.,  wrecked  on  Long  Beach,  Dec.   10,  and 

all  on  board,  six  in  number,  perish.     Their  cries  were  heard  above  the 

roaring  of  the  wind  and  sea,  but  they  could  not  be  rescued. 

1865.  News  of  the  fall  of  Richmond  received,  April  3.     Great  rejoicing  —  church 

bells  rung,  buildings  illuminated,  bonfires  kindled. 
News  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  received,  April  15.     Mourning 

insignia  displayed  in  public  buildings  and  churches. 
Corner  stone  of  City  Hall  laid,  Nov.  28. 

1866.  Gen.  Sherman  passes  through  Lynn,  July  16,  and  is  cordially  greeted. 
A  meteoric  stone  falls  in  Ocean  street,  in  September, 

1867.  Terrific  snow  storm,  Jan.  17. 
City  Hall  dedicated,  Nov.  30. 

1868.  Memorial  Day  —  called  also  Decoration  Day  —  observed.  May  30.     Soldiers' 

graves  strewed  with  flowers.  [In  1881  the  day  was  made  a  legal  holiday.] 
Hiram  Marble,  excavator  of  Dungeon  Rock,  dies,  Nov.  10,  aged  65,  having 
pursued  his  arduous  and  fruitless  labors  about  17  years.  [His  son  Edwin 
succeeded  him  in  the  work  and  died  at  the  Rock,  Jan.  16.  1880,  aged  48, 
without  having  reached  the  supposed  deposit  of  gold  and  jewels.] 
Destructive  fire  on  Market  street,  Dec.  25.  Lyceum  Building,  P'razier's  and 
Bubier's  brick  blocks  destroyed.     Whole  loss  about  $300,000. 

1869.  Mary  J.  Hood,  a  colored  woman,  dies  Jan.  8,  aged  104  years  and  7  months. 
Another  destructive  fire  on  the  night  of  Jan.  25,  commencing  in  the  brick 

shoe  manufactory  of  Edwin  H.  Johnson,  in  Munroe  street,  and  destroying 

property  to  the  amount  of  some  $170,000. 
On  the  evening  of  April  15,  there  was  a  magnificent  display  of  beautifully 

tinted  aurora  borealis,  during  which  a  meteor  of  great  brilliancy  shot 

across  the  eastern  sky. 
Severe  gale  on  Wednesday  afternoon,  Sept.  8  ;  next  in  violence  to  that  of  Sept, 

23,  181 5.     Several  small  buildings  destroyed,  and  a  multitude  of  trees 

uprooted.     More  than  400  shade  trees  prostrated  in  Lynn. 


28o  Chronological  Table. 

1869.  The  old  Turnpike  from  Salem  to  Boston  becomes  a  public  highway  this  year. 
Sidney  B.  Pratt  dies,  Jan.  29,  aged  54,  leaving  by  will  $10,000  for  the  benefit 

of  the  Free  Public  Library. 

1870.  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  incorporated,  March  31. 
First  regatta  of  Lynn  Yacht  Club,  June  17. 

Land  near  Central  rail-road  station  sold  at  $$  per  square  foot ;  the  highest 
rate  known  in  Lynn  up  to  this  time. 

1871.  Rev.  Joseph  Cook,  at  the  time  minister  of  the  First  Church,  gives  a  series 

of  Sunday  evening  lectures,  in  Music  Hall,  early  this  year,  creating  con- 
siderable excitement  by  his  rather  sensational  denunciations.  [He  after- 
wards  became  famous  in  this  country,  in  Europe,  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  by  his  ethical  discourses.] 

Terrible  rail-road  disaster  at  Revere,  Aug.  26 ;  eleven  Lynn  persons  killed. 
Whole  number  of  lives  lost,  33  ;  number  of  wounded,  about  60. 

Electric  fire  alarm  established. 

President  Grant  passed  through  Lynn,  Oct.  16. 

William  Vennar,  alias  Brown,  murders  Mrs.  Jones,  is  pursued,  and  in  his 
further  desperate  attempts  is  shot  dead,  Dec.  16. 

1872.  City  Hall  bell  raised  to  its  position  in  the  tower,  March  2. 

Meeting  of  the  City  Council  commemorative  of  the  recent  death  of  Professor 
Morse,  inventor  of  the  electric  telegraph,  April  16. 

S.  O.  Breed's  box  factory,  at  the  south  end  of  Commercial  street,  struck  by 
lightning  and  consumed,  Aug.  13.  [The  summer  of  this  year  was  remark- 
able for  the  frequency  and  severity  of  its  thunder  storms.] 

Brick  house  of  worship  of  First  Church,  South  Common  street,  dedicated 
Aug.  29. 

Ingalls  and  Cobbet  school  houses  dedicated. 

Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  Market  street,  dedicated,  Oct.  7. 

Brick  and  iron  station  of  Eastern  Rail-road,  Central  square,  built. 

Singular  disease,  called  epizootic,  prevailed  among  horses  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  autumn.  Wheel  carriages  almost  entirely  ceased  to  run, 
excepting  as  drawn  by  oxen,  dogs,  or  goats,  and  sometimes  by  men. 

Much  speculation  in  real  estate  ;  prices  high,  and  business  active. 

Pine  Hill  Reservoir  built. 

1873.  Pumping  engine  at  Public  Water  Works,  Walnut  street,  first  put  in  operation 

Jan.  14. 

English  sparrows  make  their  appearance  in  Lynn  —  no  doubt  the  progeny 
of  those  imported  into  Boston.     [Soon  declared  a  nuisance.] 

Soldiers'  Monument,  Park  square,  dedicated  Sept.  17. 

Grand  Masonic  parade,  Oct.  22. 

Friends'  Biennial  Conference  held  here,  Nov.  19. 

Birch  Pond  formed,  by  running  a  dam  across  Birch  Brook  valley,  on  the  east 
of  Walnut  street,  near  Saugus  line. 
874.     "Lynn  Home  for  Aged  Women"  incorporated,  Feb.  6. 

Grand  celebration  of  St.  Patrick's  day,  in  Lynn,  March  17,  by  the  Irish  organ- 
izations of  Essex  county. 
1875.     Boston,  Revere  Beach  and  Lynn  Rail-road  opened  for  travel,  July  22. 

Sea-serpent  alleged  to  have  been  seen  off  Egg  Rock,  in  August. 

The  General  Convention  of  LTnivcrsalists  meet  in  Lynn,  Oct.  20. 

Great  depression  in  business  affairs  succeed  the  days  of  unhealthy  prosperity. 
Many  tradesmen  and  merchants  fail,  and  real  estate  falls  greatJy  in  price. 


Chronological   Table,  281 

1875.  An  unusual  number  of  Tramps  —  that  is,  homeless  wanderers  from  place  to 

place  —  appear  in  Lynn,  and  receive  temporary  relief. 

1876.  The  great  World's  Exposition,  at  Philadelphia,  marking  the  centennial  year 

of  the  Republic.  Lynn  makes  a  good  show  of  her  manufactures,  and  a 
large  number  of  her  people  attend  the  exhibition. 

A  fire  occurred  in  Market  street,  July  26  destroying  some  $10,000  worth 
of  property. 

The  destructive  Colarado  beetle,  or  potato  bug,  first  appears  in  Lynn,  this  year. 

Appropriate  observance  of  the  centennial  year,  July  4.  "  Centennial  Memo- 
rial "  published. 

Brick  engine  house,  Federal  street,  built. 

Benjamin  F.  Doak  dies,  Nov.  8,  aged  50  years,  bequeathing  $10,000  for  the 
poor  of  the  city.     [This  legacy  is  now  known  as  the  "  Doak  Fund."] 

A  splendid  meteor  passed  over  the  city  on  the  evening  of  Dec.  20. 

1877.  Sweetser's  four  story  brick  building.  Central  avenue,  with  an  adjacent  building, 

burned,  April  7  ;  loss  about  $115,000. 
Extraordinary  phosphorescent  glow  along  the  shores,  in  September. 

1878.  Successful  balloon  ascension,  July  4,  Alderman  Aza  A.  Breed,  City  Marshal 

Fry,  and  Mr.  Fred  Smith,  journalist,  accompanying  the  ^ronaut. 
Dennis  Kearney,  radical  agitator  and  California  "sand  lot  orator,"  addresses 

a  large  crowd  on  the  Common,  on  the  evening  of  Aug.  12. 
Brick  fire  engine  house.  Broad  street,  built. 
Higher  temperature  in  Lynn  and  vicinity,  at  midnight,  Dec.  2,  than  in  any 

other  part  of  the  United  States — six  degrees  higher  than  in  New  Orleans, 

La.,  seven  higher  than  in  Savannah,  Geo.,  nine  higher  than  in  Charleston, 

S.  C,  and  ten  higher  than  in  Jacksonville,  Florida. 
Gold  held  at  par,  Dec.  17,  for  the  first  time  in  sixteen  years  ;  that  is  $100  in 

gold  were  worth  just  $100  in  greenback  government  notes.     The  extreme 

of  variation  was  in  July,  1864,  when  $100  in  gold  were  worth  $285  in  notes. 

1879.  The  brick  house  of  worship  of  the   First  Methodist  Society,  Park  square, 

dedicated,  Feb.  27. 
-*■  The  newly-invented  telephone,  comes  into  use  in  Lynn,  this  year. 

Two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  Lynn,  celebrated, 

June  17.     [A  volume  embracing  a  full  account  of  the  proceedings  was 

published  by  order  of  the  City  Council.] 
Business  begins  to  become  decidedly  active  after  seven  years  of  depression. 
John  A.  Jackson,  designer  of  the  Soldiers'  Monument,  Park  square,  died  in 

Florence,  Italy,  in  August,  aged  54. 
St.  Joseph's  Cemetery  (Catholic)  consecrated,  Oct.  16. 
Extraordinary  occurrence  of  a  perfectly  clear  sky,  all  over  the  United  States, 

from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  Nov.  4,  as  reported  by  the  United  States 

Signal  Corps. 

1880.  Hawkes  family  gathering,  July  28  and  29. 

Tubular  Wells,  Boston  street,  sunk  by  the  city  authorities  to  gain  additional 
water  supply  ;  first  pumping  from  them,  Sept.  4. 

The  notorious  "  Morey  Letter  "  appears  in  the  autumn,  creating  much  sen- 
sation throughout  the  country. 

Beautiful  mirage  in  the  bay,  Nov.  22. 

1881.  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Building,  Market  street,  dedicated,  Jan.  17. 
Government  weather  signals,  on  High  Rock,  first  .shown,  Feb.  23. 

■<—       Lynn  Hospital  incorporated. 


282  Chronological  Table. 

1881.     The  "yellow  day,"  so  called,  occurred  Sept.  6. 
Beautiful  celestial  phenomena,  Sept.  12. 
President  Garfield's  death  announced  by  the  tolling  of  the  church  bells  at 

midnight,  Sept.  19.     Memorial  services  held,  Sept.  26. 
Free  PubHc  Forest  Association,  or  Exploring  Circle,  formed. 
Hon.   Enoch  Redington  Mudge,  donor  of  St.   Stephen's  Memorial  Church 

dies,  Oct.  I. 
St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church  consecrated,  Nov.  2. 


[As  our  chapter  of  Annals  closes  with  1881,  and  it  seems  desirable  to  take  some 
notice  of  events  down  as  near  as  possible  to  the  time  of  publication,  the  following 
additions  are  inserted.] 

I  882. 

The  winter  of  1881  and  '82  was  rather  remarkable  for  the  quantity  of  snow,  and 
the  long  time  the  earth  remained  covered.  A  storm  began  on  the  afternoon  of  Jan- 
uary 31,  during  which  some  eighteen  inches  fell.  And  on  the  next  Sunday,  Feb.  5,  a 
snow  storm  occurred  that  was  not  for  many  years  before  exceeded  in  violence.  The 
drifts  in  some  places  were  for  a  time  insurmountable  ;  and  services  at  several  of  the 
principal  churches  were  omitted. 

On  the  night  of  Feb.  15,  a  building  on  Munroe  street,  owned  by  Charles  G.  Clark, 
together  with  one  or  two  others,  was  burned,  causing  a  loss  of  some  $20,000. 

The  Grand  Army  Coliseum,  on  Summer  street,  was  dedicated  March  15,  with 
appropriate  ceremonies.  Its  seating  capacity  is  much  greater  than  any  other  place 
of  assembly  hitherto  erected  here. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  March,  just  before  the  time  for  workmen  to  assem- 
ble, a  terrific  steam  boiler  explosion  took  place  in  the  rear  of  the  Goodwin  last  factory, 
in  Spring  street.  The  engineer  was  killed,  and  several  others  badly  wounded.  One 
or  two  adjacent  buildings  were  much  damaged,  and  a  piece  of  the  boiler,  weighing 
about  1.500  pounds,  was  thrown  two  hundred  feet  up  into  the  air,  and  fell  in  Newhall 
street,  seven  hundred  feet  distant. 

A  fire  occurred  on  the  morning  of  April  22,  at  Houghton,  Godfrey  and  Dean's 
paper  warehouse.  Central  avenue,  destroying  property  to  the  amount  of  $3,000. 

Electric  lights  made  their  appearance  here,  in  the  spring. 

At  midnight,  May  12,  according  to  the  weather  reports,  the  thermometer,  in  Lynn 
and  vicinity,  reached  a  lower  degree  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  United  States;  yet 
it  was  not  so  low  as  to  be  particularly  noticeable. 

Memorial  Day,  May  30,  was  observed  as  usual ;  address  by  Comrade  James  M. 
Tanner,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Glen  Lewis  was  consecrated,  May  30. 

Barnum's  "  greatest  show  on  earth,"  visited  Lynn,  July  22.  Some  half  a  score 
of  elephants  appeared  in  the  street  parade.  The  giant  elephant  Jumbo  and  the  nursing 
baby  elephant  were  both  members  of  the  caravan.  Some  25.000  persons  attended  the 
exhibition,  and  the  amount  of  money  received  for  admission,  reached  nearly  $11,000. 
The  show  consisted  of  a  large  collection  of  animals,  equestrian,  acrobatic,  and  other 
circus  and  semi-dramatic  performances.  It  was,  no  doubt,  the  grandest  and  most 
costly  show  ever  in  Lynn. 

An  explosion  of  a  part  of  the  underground  equipment  of  the  Citizens'  Steam  Heat- 
ing Company,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Munroe  streets,  took  place,  July  27, 
injuring  the  street  somewhat,  and  throwing  up   stones  and  gravel  to  the  danger 


Chronological  Table. 


283 


and  fright  of  persons  in  the  vicinity.  And  subsequently  other  explosions  took  place 
inducing  an  appeal  to  the  city  authorities  for  protection. 

Nickerson's  oil  clothing  factory,  in  Swampscott,  was  burned,  August  4.  Miss 
Emma  Stone,  employed  in  the  establishment,  lost  her  life,  and  the  loss  of  property 
amounted  to  about  $9,000. 

An  extraordinary  drought  prevailed  during  the  latter  part  of  the  summer.  Most 
of  the  crops  about  Lynn  were  absolutely  ruined,  the  unripe  fruit  dropped  from  the 
trees,  and  much  of  the  shrubbery  and  many  of  the  trees  had  the  appearance  of  having 
been  exposed  to  fire  blasts.  Yet  the  springs  and  wells  did  not  indicate  any  very 
marked  deficiency  of  moisture  somewhat  below  the  surface.  We  had  an  uncom- 
monly long  succession  of  very  warm  days,  with  westerly  winds  and  clear  skies.  And 
the  peculiar  effect  on  vegetation  was,  no  doubt,  attributable  rather  to  the  burning  sun 
than  the  lack  of  moisture.  The  spring  was  backward  by  full  two  weeks,  and  the 
weather  was  on  the  whole  anomalous,  most  of  the  year. 

The  Ocean  House,  in  Swampscott,  a  summer  hotel  of  considerable  note,  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  on  the  evening  of  September  6.  It  was  a  large  wooden  building, 
six  stories  in  front  and  five  in  the  rear.     The  loss  was  about  $65,000. 

In  October,  the  fare  to  or  from  Boston  was  reduced  to  five  cents  on  all  the  trains 
of  the  Narrow-gauge  Rail-road,  and  on  a  part  of  those  of  the  PJastern. 

Mayor  Lovering  was,  on  the  7th  of  November,  elected  a  member  of  the  U.  S. 
Congress  —  the  second  Lynn  man  ever  chosen  for  that  honorable  position. 

The  morning  sky  for  several  weeks  in  October  and  November  was  adorned  by  a 
splendid  comet  which  rose  two  or  three  hours  before  the  sun,  in  the  south-east.  A 
very  good  representation  of  it,  as  seen  from  High  Rock  is  here  given.  The  steeple 
of  the  Central  church,  in  Silsbee  street,  is  seen  on  the  right  of  the  picture,  and 
Phillips's  Point,  Swampscott,  on  the  left.  Astronomers  had  wonderful  stories  to  tell 
of  this  comet  —  its  inconceivable  speed  and  partial  disruption  as  if  by  some  collision. 


COMET  OK  1882, 
As  seen  from  High  Rock,  Lynn. 


284 


Tables. 


The  foregoing  Chronological  Table,  as  elsewhere  remarked, 
it  is  thought  will  be  sufficient  for  a  glimpse  at  our  whole  history  ; 
and  in  the  present  volume  nothing  more  than  a  mere  glance 
at  the  times  anterior  to  the  point  at  which  the  1865  edition 
record  closes,  could  be  expected  or  desired,  at  least  by  those 
possessed  of  a  copy  of  that  issue. 

Near  the  close  of  that  volume  are  various  tables,  among  which 
are:  lists  of  the  surnames  of  all  residents  of  Lynn  from  1629  to 
J  700  —  of  Assistants  and  Counsellors  —  of  early  Representa- 
tives—  of  members  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  — 
of  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  —  of  members  of  important  Conven- 
tions—  of  Senators  —  of  Newspapers  and  Editors  —  of  the  suc- 
cessions of  Ministers  of  the  various  religious  societies,  &c. 
These,  for  the  most  part,  are  of  course  omitted  here,  as  the  great 
accumulation  of  names  would  have  required  space  that  could 
perhaps  be  filled  with  more  interesting  matter,  inasmuch  as 
they  can  be  readily  found  elsewhere.  A  few,  however,  of  those 
most  commonly  useful  for  reference,  will  be  found  in  their  proper 
connections  in  these  pages  ;  all  of  which  the  reader  can  easily 
find  by  referring  to  the  Index. 


PRESIDENTS 

1850.  Daniel  C.  Baker. 

1851.  James  R.  Newhall. 

1852.  Edward  S.  Davis. 

1853.  Edward  S.  Davis. 

1854.  Gustavus  Attwill. 

1855.  Gilbert  Havvkes. 

1856.  Edward  S.  Davis. 

1857.  Edward  S.  Davis. 

1858.  Edwin  Q.  Bacheller. 

1859.  Nathan  Clark. 
i860.  Noah  Robinson. 

1861.  George  H.  Chase. 

1862.  George  H.  Chase. 

1863.  Jesse  L.  Attwill. 

1864.  Jesse  L.  Attwill. 

1865.  Jesse  L.  Attwill. 

1866.  Jesse  L.  Attwill. 


OF  THE  COMMON  COUNCIL. 


1867.  Theodore  Attwill. 

1868.  Theodore  Attwill. 

1869.  Nathan  M.  Ilawkes. 

1870.  Nathan  M.  Hawkes. 

1 87 1.  Bowman  B.  Breed. 

1872.  Nathan  M.  Hawkes. 

1873.  Bowman  B.  Breed,  [died.] 
1S73.  Ezra  Baker,  [part  of  the  year.] 

1874.  William  C.  Holder. 

1875.  George  D.  Whittle. 

1876.  George  T.  Newhall. 
1S77.  George  T.  Newhall. 
1S7S.  George  T.  Newhall. 
1S79.  Charles  E.  Kimball. 
iSSo.  George  C.  Neal. 
iSSi.  Edward  C.  Neal. 
1SS2.  Charles  D.  Hollis. 


CONCLUSION. 


A  GREAT  many  individuals  who  have  figured  in  different  periods 
of  the  history  of  Lynn  have  in  the  present  volume  been  intro- 
duced to  the  reader  ;  some  of  them  of  characters  altogether 
worthy  of  imitation  ;  others,  perhaps,  useful  as  examples  to  be 
avoided.  It  is  not  unfrequently  difficult  to  determine  the  ground 
of  action  in  a  fellow  being  —  whether  it  be  principle,  habit,  or 
natural  disposition.  And  many  appear  to  act  as  if  they  consid- 
ered this  or  that  virtue  or  vice  theirs  by  prescription  or  inheritance. 
A  prominent  fellow-citizen  some  time  ago,  when  checked  for  his 
profanity,  replied,  with  perfect  coolness,  and  an  air  that  indi- 
cated his  full  belief  in  the  sufficiency  of  the  plea,  "  Why,  my 
grandfather  used  to  swear ;  my  father  used  to  swear ;  and  I 
mean  to  swear."  Parental  example,  certainly,  had  influence  here. 
However,  our  chief  means  for  judging  of  men  in  common  life, 
are  found  in  their  daily  walk  ;  and  if  we  can  discover  the  tenor 
of  the  holding  there,  a  reasonably  fair  estimate  can  be  made.  It 
is  ardently  hoped  that  in  the  foregoing  pages  the  attempts  to 
elucidate  traits,  have  not  been  altogether  unsuccessful,  nor  the 
lessons  attempted  to  be  enforced,  entire  failures.  The  reply 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Mottey,  the  old  Lynnfield  minister,  to  one  of  his 
complaining  parishioners,  who  called  him  "  odd  "  was  shrewd  as 
well  as  witty  :  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  I  set  out  to  be  a  very  good  man, 
and  soon  found  that  I  could  not  be  without  being  very  odd." 

"  God  gives  to  every  man, 
The  virtue,  temper,  understanding,  taste. 
That  lifts  him  into  hfe,  and  lets  him  fall 
Just  in  the  niche  he  was  designed  to  fill." 

So  says  the  poet ;  but  observation  would  pronounce  this  predes- 
tinarian  sentiment  more  poetic  than  true  ;  at  least,  if  it  be  taken 
in  the  broad  sense  that  the  adjoining  lines  represent : 

(285) 


286  Conclusion. 

"To  the  deliverer  of  an  injured  land, 

He  gives  a  tongue  to  enlarge  upon,  a  heart  

To  feel,  and  courage  to  redress  her  wrongs. 
To  monarchs  dignity,  to  judges  sense, 
To  artists  ingenuity  and  skill." 

The  great  body  of  mankind  fall  into  niches  but  poorly  fitted  for 
them,  and  become  entangled  among  cares  and  vexations  that 
cramp  and  enervate  their  very  souls 

It  is  believed  that  in  the  foregoing  pages,  abundant  evidence 
will  be  found  that  Lynn  has  produced  her  full  share  of  worthies 
in  the  different  walks  of  life.  True,  perhaps,  she  is  not  able  to 
number  among  her  children  any  specially  illustrious  examples 
in  statesmanship,  philosophy,  or  literature  ;  but  on  a  slightly 
lower  level  she  can  firmly  stand.  The  writer  has  much  enjoyed 
the  companionship  of  the  genial  ones  with  whom  he  has  trudged 
along  the  historic  way  ;  and  will  feel  disappointed  if  the  reader 
has  not  likewise  been  pleased.  It  is  always  a  pleasant  road  that 
is  travelled  with  agreeable  companions. 

Here  and  there  suggestions  have  been  made,  not  always  in  the 
direct  line  of  narrative,  which  it  is  hoped  will  not  appear  obtru- 
sive ;  at  all  events,  devotion  to  supposed  duty,  and  innocency 
of  purpose,  will  be  the  excuse  if  one  seems  necessary.  Any 
kind  of  a  history  ought  to  embrace  something  more  than  a  mere 
narration  of  past  events.  And  when  treating  of  individuals,  an 
author's  preferences,  sympathies,  or  prejudices,  should  never  lead 
to  invidious  condemnation  nor  to  such  a  tender  veiling  of  imper- 
fections as  to  conceal  true  characteristics. 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  have  occasionally  noticed  in  the 
foregoing  pages  an  item  which  appeared  to  him  to  relate  in  no 
special  manner  to  the  history  of  Lynn.  But  he  will  find  such 
subservient  to  the  general  purpose.  It  may  be  asked.  What  has 
the  appearance  of  a  comet,  a  dark  day,  or  any  similar  natural 
phenomenon  to  do  with  the  history  of  a  town  .■'  —  a  question 
rather  cavilling  than  comprehensive ;  for  is  it  not  true,  for  in- 
stance, that  the  last  comet  or  eclipse  visible  here,  or  the  "yellow 
day,"  belonged  as  much  to  Lynn  as  any  other  place  ?  It  is  often 
as  impossible  to  clearly  set  forth  a  matter  or  elucidate  a  princi- 
ple, without  a  seeming  divergence  for  illustration  or  comparison, 
as  it  is  to  gather  the  rarest  flowers  without  an  occasional  detour. 


Conclusion.  287 

Nearly  fifty  years  ago,  as  will  be  perceived  by  the  date  of  the 
appended  Prospectus,  Mr.  Lewis  and  the  writer  proposed  issuing 
a  volume  of  selections  from  Lynn  writers  ;  and  the  reason  why 
the  project  was  not  consummated  is  not  now  clearly  recollected. 
Attention,  however,  is  here  called  to  the  matter,  in  the  hope  that 
the  "labor  of  love "  will  yet  be  accomplished.  If  some  one 
of  the  gifted  coterie  now  among  us,  whose  literary  electric  lights 
are  trimmed  and  burning,  would  pursue  the  plan,  they  would 
perform  a  work  to  which  in  after  years  they  might  recur  with 
much  satisfaction,  and  for  which  future  generations  would  be 
thankful  —  even  if  they  did  not  receive  a  commensurate  pecuniary 
return.  The  design  was  to  have  nothing  appear  that  was  not 
the  production  of  a  native  ;  but  that  might,  of  course,  be  modified 
if  deemed  expedient.  Our  prospectus  had  not  been  long  before 
the  public,  when  the  "Boston  Book"  was  announced;  and  in 
that,  very  little  discrimination  as  to  natives  was  observed  ;  indeed 
it  almost  seemed  as  if  merely  passing  through  the  city  entitled  a 
writer  to  a  place.  The  Prospectus  alluded  to,  tells  its  own  story, 
and  is  as  follows  : 

Wild  Flowers  and  Sea-Shells  :    Being  a  Selection  from  the   Writings,  Poetical 
and  Prosaic,  of  Natives  of  Lynn:  embracing  the  whole  period  of  its  History,     Edited 
by  Alonzo  Lewis  and  James  R.  Newhall. 
During  the  period  embracing  the  history  of  this  town,  there  have  from  time  to 
time  appeared  among  us,  our  fellow-citizens  are  all  aware,  those  of  either  sex,  who 
were  justly  looked  upon  as  endowed  with  mental  qualities  far  above  the  ordinary 
standard  —  those  who  have  shone  as  stars  of  the  first  magnitude  in  our  little  commu- 
nity, and  who,  haply,  under  more  auspicious  circumstances,  would  have  been  hailed 
as  brighter  lights  to  a  more  extended  sphere;  —  but  who  have  yet  passed  from 
among  us,  leaving  a  few  gems  only  scattered  in  their  path  to  the  tomb,  as  memorials 
of  the  peculiar  favor  of  their  God;  —  leaving  here  a  few  Flowers  gathered  from  the 
dark  glen  or  the  sunny  height,  and  there  a  little  glittering  cabinet  of  Sea-Shells 
gleaned  from  the  romantic  shores  of  their  own  loved  home. 

.  It  is  the  object  of  the  editors  to  gather  up  these  fragments  and  select  from  among 
them  such  as  they  esteem  most  worthy  of  preservation  ;  adding  a  series  of  articles, 
original  and  select,  from  the  writers  of  the  present  day.  It  is  not  their  aim  to  gain 
any  thing  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view ;  they  ask  only  remuneration  for  their  actual 
expenses,  deeming  the  pleasure  of  presenting  the  little  volume  to  their  fellow-citizens 
sufficient  reward  for  all  their  toil.  It  is  believed  that  the  work  will  also  be  interesting 
beyond  the  immediate  sphere  of  its  publication,  as  the  interests  and  sympathies'  of  this 
town  and  those  around  her  have  ever  been  most  strongly  united  :  —  together  have  they 
toiled  through  the  darkness  of  by-gone  years,  and  together  have  they  arrived  upon  the 
sunny  lands  of  prosperity. 

The  Prospectus  was  dated  July  15,  1835  J  ^^^  the  work  was 
to  have  been  an  i8mo  of  about  250  pages,  at  $1  per  copy. 


288  Conclusion. 

The  facilities  for  travel  have  now  become  so  great  that  almost 
every  one,  high  or  low,  must  have  an  annual  vacation  tour.  The 
vacation  itself,  which  a  few  years  ago  was  hardly  thought  of  by 
any  save  a  few  of  those  in  the  so  called  upper  walks  of  life,  the 
more  wealthy  and  unoccupied,  is  now  deemed  almost  indispensa- 
ble by  every  one  above  the  rank  of  day  laborer,  who  of  all  others 
would  seem  most  in  need  of  an  occasional  temporary  intermission. 
None  will  deny  that  one  of  the  best  purposes  to  which  spare 
pecuniary  means  can  be  devoted,  is  travel  for  the  improvement 
of  mind  or  body  ;  and  for  reasonable  self-gratification,  too  ;  but 
when  undertaken  for  the  inferior  object  of  genteel  show  or  vain 
boasting,  its  usefulness  is  not  apparent.  What  are  balls,  and 
banquets,  and  all  such  entertainments  and  revels  in  comparison 
with  right-purposed  travel  ?  And  thanks  be  to  those  who  in- 
vented these  modern  ways  and  means  which  enable  us  at  so 
little  expense  of  time  and  money  to  secure  the  benefit. 

There  is  the  "  bridal  tour,"  which  every  young  couple  must 
take  on  being  joined  by  the  silken  bonds  ;  and  fortunate  it  may 
be  if  the  first  disagreement  doesnotarise  on  the  question  of  where 
and  how  long  it  shall  be.  There  is  the  clergyman's  vacation 
tour  which  the  poor  parish  as  well  as  the  rich  is  expected  without  a 
murmur  to  accord  and  further  ;  for  he  must  have  rest  and  change 
of  scene,  although  it  may  happen  that  the  new  scene  be  a  niche 
wherein  he  is  providentially  detained  to  preach  a  few  sermons 
at  extra  pay,  or,  haply,  under  the  same  mysterious  ordering, 
become  the  unforewarned  recipient  of  a  call  to  an  improved 
settlement.  There,  too,  is  the  schoolmaster's  vacation  and  tour. 
Well,  the  faithful  teacher  is  worthy  of  consideration  and  esteem 
though  it  may  be  that  more  hearts  swell  with  joy  at  his  departure 
than  at  his  return.     But  we  need  not  further  particularize. 

Towards  Europe  the  faces  of  many  excursionists  are  set ; 
the  land  where,  amid  the  historic  scenes,  the  depositories  of  art 
and  learning,  and  under  the  stimulation  of  buoyant  inquietude, 
and  renovating  airs,  the  vigor  and  elasticity  of  body  and  mind, 
diminished  by  the  onerous  duties  of  home,  may  be  restored.  In 
our  Annals  under  date  1871,  it  will  be  found  stated  that  four 
of  the  Lynn  clergymen  were  then  travelling  in  Europe.  But 
the  vacation  excursion  to  the  old  countries  is  by  no  means  con- 
fined to  professional  persons  or  to  the  wealthy.     Lynn  every 


Conclusion.  289 

season  is  largely,  and  we  trust  not  unfavorably,  represented 
abroad  by  numbers  of  her  comely  daughters  and  manly  sons, 
who  return  refreshed,  with  sunburnt  countenances,  rosy  descrip- 
tions, and  declarations  of  unbounded  satisfaction. 

We  have  here  in  Lynn  a  full  share  of  mutual  benefit,  benevo- 
lent, sanitary,  and  temperance  organizations,  as  well  as  masonic, 
odd  fellow  and  military.  Various  companies  for  the  supply 
of  material  wants,  we  also  have,  working  for  the  good  of  the 
people  and  profit  of  themselves.  Then  there  are  various  clubs 
and  associations  for  discussion  and  social  entertainment,  of  a 
character  deserving  well  of  an  intelligent  and  hospitable  commu- 
nity. In  them  assemble  the  city  statists  and  savants  who  put 
to  rights  the  great  matters  of  public  concern  and  the  smaller 
interest  of  private  life.  But  whether,  if  the  ghost  of  Johnson 
should  swagger  in  at  a  formal  club  meeting,  he  would  imagine 
himself  again  in  the  company  of  his  friends  and  compeers  — 
of  Burke,  Reynolds,  Garrick,  Sheridan,  "  Goldy "  the  favorite, 
and  those  other  glowing  lights  of  the  time,  who  shed  such  lustre 
upon  statesmanship,  legal  erudition,  literary  and  art  criticism  —  he 
would  be  inspired  anew,  astonished,  or  diverted,  no  lesser  mind 
than  his  is  competent  to  determine. 

But  after  all  our  boasted  privileges,  inventions,  progress,  and 
attainment  —  after  all  the  revelations  in  philosophy,  science,  and 
mechanics  —  after  all  our  rail-roads,  steam-driven  machinery,  tel- 
egraphs, and  electric  lights  —  are  there  better,  wiser,  or  nobler 
men  and  women  —  better  rulers,  statesmen,  or  philanthropists  — 
better  fathers,  mothers,  or  children  —  than  there  were  in  the 
days  of  yore .''  Why,  no,  probably  not.  Mankind  preserves 
about  the  same  old  average  and  very  likely  always  will.  Yet,  to 
come  down  to  our  own  limited  case,  there  appears  reason  for 
congratulation  in  that  the  great  rank  and  file  of  the  community 
are  at  this  day  in  a  physically  better  condition  than  at  any  for- 
mer period  ;  better  fed,  clothed,  and  sheltered ;  better  provided 
with  the  necessaries  and  conveniences  of  life.  And  would  it  were 
possible  to  say  the  same  of .  all  civilized  humanity ;  yes,  and 
likewise  of  all  benighted,  barbarous,  and  savage. 

The  ancient  history  of  the  land  we  occupy  is  a  sealed  book,  never 
probably  to  be  opened  ;  no  research  has  given  any  satisfactory 
account  of  what  transpired  here,  in  ages  past.     The  sacred  beams 

19 


290 


Conclusion. 


that  lighted  up  the  Holy  Land  —  the  sombre  twilight  that  glim- 
mered through  old  Egypt's  gloom  —  the  dreamy  scintillations 
of  the  pagan  realms  —  the  lustre  of  the  old  mythology  that  so 
adorned  the  classic  lands  —  shed  no  radiance  here ;  no,  not  even  the 
rugged  surges  of  an  Ossian's  song  tell  of  the  achievements  of  the 
unknown  people.  The  red  men  had  some  characteristics  now 
found  among  no  other  people ;  but  the  race  was  not  one  to  make 
an  impression  on  the  world's  destiny  ;  and  so  they  have  passed 
away,  leaving  scarcely  a  footprint  behind. 

What  civilized  nation  has  so  little  of  a  past  history  as  ours  ? 
We  have  none  of  the  stirring  episodes  that  so  enliven  the  old 
world  chronicles  ;  no  crusaders  with  their  romantic  and  senti- 
mental bravery  ;  no  knight-errants  with  their  decorative  justice 
and  ideal  honor ;  no  troubadours  with  their  songs  of  valor  and 
love's  enchantments.  No,  none  of  these ;  our  knowledge  thus 
far  is  of  stern  and  hard  realities.  And  are  we  not  still  a  nation 
without  a  name  —  a  family  of  near  forty,  each  separately  called, 
but  collectively  with  no  name  indicating  consolidated  nationality  ? 
In  view  of  the  great  centralizing  achievement  of  the  civil  war 
ought  we  so  to  remain  .-*     O,  give  the  nation  a  name. 

The  changes  that  have  been  steadily  going  on  since  the  day 
when  the  Ingalls  brothers  and  their  sturdy  companions  struck 
the  first  blows  for  civilization  within  these  borders,  have  attained 
to  what  we  now  behold  —  a  fair  city,  with  a  population  we  would 
fain  believe,  as  virtuous  and  as  happy  as  is  any  where  to  be 
found.  And  could  those  old  worthies  return  to  re-traverse  the 
hills  and  plains  over  which  they  once  trod,  haply  with  mis- 
giving hearts,  what  would  be  their  feelings.  And  could  the 
few  Indians  they  found  here  return  in  their  company,  what 
mad  antics  would  they  display,  and  what  frenzied  ejaculations 
and  resounding  whoops  would  they  utter,  as  they  beheld  their 
old  trapping  thickets  and  open  hunting  grounds  occupied  by 
stately  buildings  and  the  flaunting  insignia  of  a  life  never  con- 
ceited of  in  their  wildest  dreams. 

But  there  are  some  things  that  in  the  great  cycle  of  ages  do 
not  change.  The  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  bright  retinue  of  stars 
which  looked  complacently  down  upon  the  land  in  the  far-off  days 
of  forest  silence  and  shadows,  now  look  down  with  the  same  com- 
placency upon  our  own  thronged  streets  rife  with  the  glittering 


Conclusion. 


291 


appointments  of  trade,  and  flanked  by  shrines  for  ghostly  worship, 
and  the  worship  of  mammon  as  well.  And  the  restless  ocean, 
too,  rolls  up  its  storm-driven  billows  against  the  rocky  battle- 
ments with  the  same  wild  rhythm  that  it  did  when  the  lonely 
skin-clad  red  man  stood  upon  the  trembling  cliff  and  beheld 
advancing  with  the  coming  blasts  the  misty  giants  of  the  spirit 
land.  .  .  .  Here  we  must  pause. 

Whether  the  writer  will  ever  again  travel  along  the  historic 
way  in  the  goodly  company  he  has  so  much  enjoyed,  cannot  now 
be  known.  The  generations  have  passed  on  in  their  silent  march 
to  the  bourn  whence  none  return  ;  and  in  the  common  course 
of  events  he  must  soon  join  them  —  soon  bid  an  everlasting 
adieu  to  all  here,  and  lie  down  with  the  great  company  now  at  rest : 

"  That  silent  company 
Which  far  outnumbers  all  upon  earth's  face." 


FIRST   BURYING-GROUND   IN   LYNN. 


292 


Mayors. 


MAYORS    OF    LYNN. 

In  the  Chapter  of  Biographical  Sketches,  appear  the  names 
of  all  the  Mayors  of  Lynn,  from  the  adoption  of  the  City 
Charter,  to  1882,  with  fac-similes  of  their  signatures.  But  it  is 
so  convenient  for  reference  to  have  them  all  arranged  together, 
with  a  statement  of  their  terms  of  office,  that  they  will  be  here 
given  in  chronological  order.  The  autographs,  too,  will  be  re- 
inserted, as  it  is  believed  that  the  little  space  required  cannot  be 
filled  in  any  way  more  acceptable. 

By  the  original  Charter  the  municipal  year  was  made  to 
commence  on  the  first  Monday  of  April ;  but  by  an  amendment 
which  took  effect  in  1855,  it  was  changed  to  the  first  Monday 
of  January. 


1850  and  1851,  George  Hood. 


c^c 


1852,  Benjamin  F.  Mudge. 


1853,  Daniel  C.  Baker. 


»    ^— ^    0 


1854,  Thomas  P.  Richardson, 


Mayors. 


293 


1855,  Andrews  Breed. 


1856  and  1857,  Ezra  W.  Mudge. 


^-2-2.^/^^ 


1858,  William  F.  Johnson. 


a^ty"^^-^ 


1859  and  i860,  Edward  S.  Davis. 


^: 


-/-c^. 


A.  /^- 


1 86 1,  Hiram  N.  Breed. 


^ 


1862,  '63,  '64,  and  '65,  Peter  M.  Neal. 


294  Mayors. 


1866,  'Gj,  and  '6^,  Roland  G.  Usher. 


1869  and  1872,  James  N.  Buffum. 
1870  and  1 87 1,  Edwin  Walden. 
1873,  '74,  '75,  and  ''j6,  Jacob  M.  Lewis. 


Oc^n^-T^  K-^CJL^    e^-'^i^  •      LyW  <L.^t^^CA.^'>--^ 

1877  and  1878,  Samuel  M.  Bubier. 


1879  and  1880,  George  P.  Sanderson. 
1 88 1  and  1882,   Henky  B.  Loveking. 


INDEX. 


Accidents,  i8,  20,  34,  36,  44,  47,  58,  64. 

77, 81, 87,88, 128, 162, 171, 175, 188, 278. 
Adams,  Benjamin,  Rev.,  100,  22S  ;    John, 

232  ;    Jotin  G.  B.,  265. 
Aged  persons,  24,  28,  30,  54,  126,  276,  277. 
Aged  Women's  Home,  62,  73. 
Agricultural  fairs,  Si,  86. 
Alley,   Abner,    150;      Hugh,    100,    loi ; 

John,  100,  loi ;     John  B.,  25,  72,  loi, 

270;     Mark,  150;    Solomon,  loi  ;    the 

Alley  family,  loi. 
Ames,  Daniel,  18. 

Ancient  buildings,  146,  153,  170,  224. 
Ancient  documents.   See  Depositions,  etc. 
Andrews,  Alfred,  145 ;     Stephen  H.,  33. 
Anecdotes,    51,   99,    102,    122,    127,    129, 

131,  136,  140,  147,  155,  171,  174.  196. 

198,  201,  203,  206,  210,  217,  227,  231, 

253.  285. 
Ann,  (Queen)  227. 
Annesley,  Elizabeth,  226 ;     Samuel,  Dr., 

226. 
Anniversary  celebrations.     See  Celebra- 
tions. 
Antiques  and  horribles,  32,  237. 
Appropriations    and    expenditures,   city, 

for  188 1,  273. 
Armitage,  Godfrey,  103,  105,  (106,  auto- 
graph) 107  ;    Joseph,  loi,  102,  103, 104, 

105,  107  ;     Thomas,  103. 
Armitage  petition,  105. 
Arnold,  George,  130. 
Artillery,  Lynn,  277. 
Attwill,  Benjamin  W.,  Rev.,  260 ;     Gus- 

tavus,  284 ;     Jesse  L.,  284 ;     Theodore, 

108,  284. 

(295) 


Aurora  borealis.     See  Natural  Phenom- 
ena. 
Austin,  Abner,  265. 
Authorship,   its  duties  and   perplexities, 

253- 
Autographs  : 

Armitage,  Godfrey,  106. 

Axey,  James,  106. 

Baker,  Daniel  C,  in. 

Baker,  Edward,  106. 

Bassett,  William,  112. 

Batchelder,  John,  274. 

Breed,  Allen,  xi6. 
"      Andrews,  118. 
"      Ebenezer,  119. 
"      Hiram  N.,  120. 

Bridges,  Robert,  106. 

Brown,  Nicholas,  106. 

Bubier,  Samuel  M.,  124. 

Buffum,  James  N.,  125. 

Burrill,  George,  125. 
"        John,  126. 

Burton,  Boniface,  106. 

Cicily  alias  Su  George,  16. 

Gobbet,  Thomas,  106. 

Cowdry,  William,  106. 

Davis,  Edward  S.,  132. 

Dexter,  Thomas,  133. 

Doolittle,  John,  106. 

Driver,  Robert,  106. 

Eames,  Henry,  106. 

Fitz,  Zachary,  106. 

Fuller,  Maria  A.,  135. 

Gillow,  John.  106. 

Godson,  Thomas,  106. 

Gray,  George,  139. 

Handforth,  Nathaniel,  106. 

Holyoke,  Edward,  106. 

Hood,  George,  157. 

Humfrey,  John,  157. 

Ingails,  Ephraim  A.,  274. 

Johnson,  Richard,  106. 

William  F.,  162, 

Jones,  Benjamin  H.,  274, 

Keyser,  George,  106. 


296 


Index. 


AuTOGRA  PUS:  —  (Continued.) 

King,  William,  106. 

Kirtland,  Philip,  106. 

Kunkshamooshaw,  and  wife,  16. 

Laughton,  Thomas,  164. 

Lewis,  Alonzo,  167. 
"       Jacob  M.,  167. 

Lightfoot,  F'lancis,  106. 

Longley,  William,  106. 

Lovering,  Henry  B.,  169. 

Lummus.  Charles  F.,  170. 

Mansfield,  Andrew,  170. 

Marshall,  Thomas,  106. 

Massey,  Robert,  106. 

Merritt,  Charles,  173. 

Mudge,  Benjamin  F.,  177. 
"        Ezra  W.,  178. 

Neal,  Peter  M.,  179. 

Parker,  Thomas,  106. 

Parsons,  Charles  E.,  274. 

Persons,  Robert,  106. 

Pitcher,  Mary,  (Moll,)  198. 

Ponhani,  Mary,  (Quonopohit,)  16. 

Purchis,  Oliver,  201. 

Ranisdell,  John,  106. 

Rhodes,  Henry,  106. 

Richardson,  Thomas  P.,  205. 

Sanderson,  George  P.,  207. 

Shepard,  Jeremiah,  207. 

Stickney,  Jeremiah  C,  209. 

Tomlins,  Edward,  106. 
"        Timothy,  106. 

Townsend,  Thomas,  106. 

Usher,  Roland  G.,  213. 

Walden,  Edwin,  214. 

Walker,  Richard,  106. 

Whiting,  Samuel,  218. 

Wood,  John,  106. 
Autumn  foliage,  46. 
Axey,  James,  (106,  autograph)   107,   loS, 


Baby  show,  70. 

Bacheller,  Breed,  80;  Edwin  Q.,  284; 
Jonathan,  265;  Stephen,  Rev.,  no, 
189,  259,  275.     See  Batchelder. 

Baker,  Christine,  no;  Daniel  C,  no, 
(in,  with  autograph)  292;  Edward, 
(106,  autograph)   107,  ni  ;     Ezra,  284. 

Baldwin,  Otis  L.,  80. 

Ballard,  John,  164. 

Balloons,  19,  23,  27,  77. 

Bancroft,  Nathaniel,  249 ;  Thomas  F., 
45 ;     Timothy,  189. 

Bands  of  music,  57. 

Banks,  corporate.  273,  277. 

Bard's  Farewell,  165. 

Barker,  Dr.  Charles  O.,  ni,  147,  148. 


Barlow,  David  H.,  Rev.,  270. 

Barnes,  J.  W.  F.,  Rev.,  25. 

Barnum's  great  show,  68,  282. 

Barton,  Walter,  Rev.,  259. 

Base  ball,  63. 

Bassett,   William,  (m,  with  autograph) 

164,  274. 
Batchelder,  Charles  J.,  73  ;     George  W., 

73;    Jacob,  72,  n2;     John,  265,  (274, 

with  autograph.)      See  Bacheller. 
Bates,  Elizabeth  P.  P.,  183  ;     Moses,  183  ; 

Wallace,  80. 
Beach  road,  52,  277. 
Beacon  light,  225. 
Bear  killed  in  Lynn  woods,  276. 
Beckford,  Ebenezer,  80. 
Bells,  49,  76,  90,  175. 
Bennett,  Samuel,  112,  113,  275. 
Bequests:     of  Benj.  F.  Doak,  133;     of 

Sidney  B.  Pratt,  199. 
Bert,  Hugh,  275. 
Bicycles  and  velocipedes,  29. 
Biddle,  Charles  W.,  Rev.,  23,  59,  75. 

Biographical  Sketches  and  Personal 
Notices : 

Adams,  Rev.  Benjamin,  100. 
Alley,  Hugh  and  John,  100. 
Armitage,  Joseph,  loi. 
Attwill,  Theodore,  108. 
Axey,  James,  108. 
Bachelor,  Rev.  Stephen,  no. 
Baker,  Christine,  no. 

"       Daniel  C,  Mayor,  1 10. 

"       Edward,  in. 
Barker,  Dr.  Charles  O.,  in. 
Bassett,  William,  in. 
Batchelder,  Jacob,  112. 
Bennett,  Samuel,  112. 
Blanchard,  Amos,  114. 
Bowler,  Thomas,  116. 
lioyce,  William  S.,  5S. 
Breed,  Allen,  116. 

"        Andrews,  Mayor,  117. 

"       Dr.  Bowman  B.,  iiS. 

"       Ebenezer,  119. 

"       Hiram  N.,  Mayor,  120. 

"       Isaiah,  120. 
Bridges,  Robert,  120. 
Brimblccom,  Col.  Samuel,  124. 
Brown,  Goold,  124. 
Bubier,  Samuel  M.,  Mayor,  124- 
Buffum,  James  N.,  Mayor,  124. 

"       Jonathan,  27. 
Burrill,  Hon,  Ebenezer,  125. 

"         George,  125. 

"         Hon.'john,  125. 


Index. 


297 


Biographical  Sketches  and  Personal 
Notices :  —  (Continued.) 
Burton,  Boniface,  126. 
Carnes,  Rev.  John,  126. 
Chaclwell,  Tlionias,  126. 
Chase,  Hezekiah,  128. 

"      John,  128. 

"      Rev.  Stephen,  128. 
Cheever,  Rev.  Edward,  129. 
Childs,  Amariali,  129. 
Clapp,  Henry,  129. 
Cobbet,  Rev.  Thomas,  131. 
Coffin,  Dr.  Edward  L.,  131. 
Collins,  Micajah,  131. 
Cook,  Rev.  Joseph,  42. 
Cooke,  Rev.  Parsons,  132. 
Coolidge,  Oliver  B.,  63. 
Cowdry,  William,  132. 
Curtin,  Enoch,  132. 
Dagyr,  John  Adam,  132. 
Davis,  Edward  S.,  Mayor,  132. 
Dexter,  Thomas,  133. 
Doak,  Benjamin  F.,  133. 
Doolittle,,  John,  133. 
Downing,  Elijah,  133. 

"         Rev.  Joshua  Wells,    133. 
Draper,  Gen.  Alonzo  G.,  20. 
Driver,  Robert,  134. 
Fay,  Richard  S.,  19. 
Fitch,  Zachary,  135. 
Flagg,  Dr.  John,  135. 
Flora,,  (negro)  135. 
Forman,  Eugene  F.,  88. 
Fuller,  Joseph,  135. 

"        Maria  A.,  135. 
Gardner,  Dr.  James,  135. 

"         James  H.,  135. 
Gates,  Isaac,  136. 
Gillow,  John,  136. 
Gould,  Dr.  Abraham,  21. 
Gray,  George,  (hermit)  137. 

"      William,  139. 
Halsey,  Thomas,  140. 
Handford,  Nathaniel,  141. 
Hannibal  (negro)  143. 
Hart,  Samuel,  143. 
Haven,  Richard,  146. 
Hawkes,  Adam,  146. 
Hazeltine,  Dr.  Richard,  147. 
Henchman,  Rev.  Nathaniel,  154. 
Hentz,  Caroline  Lee,  154. 
Hitchings,  Major  P^zra,  154. 
Holyoke,  Edward,  156. 
Hood,  George,  Mayor,  156. 
Humfrey,  John,  157. 
Hurd,  Rev.  Isaac,  157. 
Hutchinson,  Jesse,  157. 

Judson  J.,  157. 
Ingalls,  Edmund  and  Francis,  157. 
Ireson,  Samuel  Edwin,  158. 
Jacobs,  Benjamin  H.,  32. 
jenks,  Joseph,  158. 
Johnson,  Caleb,  159. 


Biographical  Sketches  and  Personal 
Notices :  —  (Continued.) 
Johnson,     Otis,  160. 

"  Richard,  161. 

"  William  F.,  Mayor,  162, 

Keene,  Avis,  24. 

"        George  W.,  61. 
Kertland,  Philip,  162. 
Keyser,  George,  162. 
King,  Daniel,  162. 
Kittredge,  Dr.  Edward  A.,  31. 
Laughton,  Thomas,  164. 
Leonard,  Henry  and  James,  164. 
Lewis,  Alonzo,  164. 

"        Jacob  M.,  Mayor,  167. 
Lightfoot,  Francis,  167. 
Longley,  William,  167. 
Lovering,  Henry  B.,  Mayor,  169. 
Lummus,  Aaron,  169. 

"  Charles  F.,  170. 

Mansfield,  Andrew,  170. 

"  Dr.  Joseph,  170. 

Marble,  Edwin,  84,  172. 

"         Hiram,  28. 
Marshall,  Thomas,  172. 
Martin,  Dea.  George,  172. 

"      Josiah,  173. 
Merritt,  Charles,  73. 
Montowampate,  (Indian)  173. 
Moody,  Lady  Deborah,  173. 

"        True,  (negro)  173. 
Moore,  Henry,  79. 
Mottey,  Rev.  Joseph,  173. 
Moulton,  Joseph.  174. 

"  Solomon,  175. 

Mudge,  Benjamin,  175. 

"      Benjamin  F.,  Mayor,  177. 

"      Rev.  Enoch,  177. 

"      Enoch  Redingt(Mi,  91. 

"      Ezra,  177. 

"      Ezra  Warren,  Mayor,  177. 
Mulliken,  Samuel,  179. 
Munroe,  Col.  Timothy,  179. 
Nahanton,  (Indian)  179. 
Nanapashemet,  (Indian)  179. 
Neal,  Peter  M.,  Mayor,  179. 
Newhall,  Anthony.  iSo. 

"  Asa  T..  iSo. 

'•  Benjamin  F.,  180. 

"  Francis  S.,  iSo. 

"         Henry,  iSo. 

"         Dr.  Horatio,  181. 

"         Isaac,  185. 

"         Isaac,  186. 

"         Jacob,  187. 

"         James  R.,  187. 

"         Joseph,  187. 

"         Josiah,  188. 

"         Gen.  Josiah,  188. 

"         Thomas  and  Anthony,  1891 
Nye,  Dr.  James  M.,  50. 
Oliver,  Stephen,  194. 
Parker,  Thomas,  195. 


298 


Index. 


Biographical  Sketches  and  Personal 
Notices :  —  (Continued.) 

Parsons,  Rev.  Obadiah,  195. 
Patch,  Charles  F.,  196. 
Perkins,  Dr.  John,  196, 
Perley,  Dr.  Daniel,  88. 
Phillips,  George  W.,  85. 
Pierson,  Rev.  Abraham,  197. 
Pitcher,  Mary,  (Moll)  198. 
Pompey,  (negro)  198. 
Poquanum,  (Indian)  198. 
Pranker,  Edward,  20. 
Pratt,  Micajah  C,  19S. 

"      Sidney  B.,  199. 
Purchis,  Oliver,  200. 

"        Thomas,  201. 
Quanopkonat,  (Indian)  201. 
Ramsdell,  Abednego,  201. 

"  John,  201. 

Rhodes,  Amos,  201. 
"        Henry,  203. 
Richards,  Richard,  203. 
Richardson,  Jonathan,  204. 

"  Thomas  P.,  Mayor,  204. 

Robbins,  Dr.  Peter  G.,  205. 
Robinson,  Col.  James,  205. 
Roby,  Rev.  Joseph,  205. 
Sadler,  Richard,  206. 
Sanderson,  George  P.,  Mayor,  207. 
Shepard,  Rev.  Jeremiah,  207. 
Silsbee,  Henry,  207. 
Sparhawk,  Rev.  .Nathaniel,  209. 
Stickney,  Jeremiah  C,  32. 
Swett,  Rev.  William  G.,  209. 
Taylor,  David,  45. 
Thacher,  Rev.  Thomas,  211. 
Tomlins,  Edward,  211. 
"         Timothy,  211. 
Townsend,  Thomas,  211. 
Treadwell,  Rev.  John,  212. 
Trevett,  Robert  W.,  212. 
Tudor,  Frederic,  212. 
Tufts,  Deacon  Richard,  212. 

Turner,  Capt.  Nathaniel,  213. 

Usher,  Roland  G.,  Mayor,  213. 

Vinton,  John,  213. 

Walden,  Edwin,  Mayor,  214. 

Walker,  Richard,  214. 

Washburn,  Peter  T.,  214. 
"  Reuben  P.,  216. 

Wenepoykin,  (Indian)  216. 

Wheeler,  Thomas,  216. 

Whiting,  Rev.  Samuel,  217. 

Widger,  Thomas,  42. 

Wilkins,  Bray,  218. 

Willis,  Thomas,  219. 

Wood,  John,  220. 
"       William,  220. 

Wormstead,  63. 

Yawata,  (Indian)  220. 

Birch  pond,  61. 

Black  Will,  (Indian)  19S,  259. 


Blackmar,  Gen.  W.  W.,    71. 

Blanchard,  Amos,  114,  115,  154. 

Blue  glass,  its  supposed  virtue,  75. 

Bohemians,  literary,  129. 

Bonfires,  17,  68,  71,  225. 

Book  charges  of  an  old  physician,  149. 

Bowdens,  Benj.,  249. 

Bovvers,  Mary,  228. 

Bowler,  Thomas,  116. 

Bowles,  Joshua,  143;     Capt.   Ralph  H, 

143;     Samuel,  144;     Stephen  J.,  144. 
Boy  choir,  first  in  Lynn,  76. 
Boyce,  William  S.,  58,  116. 
Brackett,  William  F.,  80. 
Bradley,  Rev.  Gordon  M.,  260. 
Bray,  Eliza  R.,  178. 

Breed,  Allen,  (116,  with  autograph)  120; 
Amos,  1 50 ;  Amos  F.,  80 ;  Andrews, 
117,  (118,  with  autograph)  293;  AzaA., 
76,  77  ;  Dr.  Bowman  B.,  31,  118,  284; 
Ebenezer,  (119,  with  autograph)  264 
Elsie,  193;  Henry.  A.,  149,151;  Hi- 
ram N.,  85,  (120,  with  autograph)  293; 
Isaiah,  62,  118,  120;  Madam,  117; 
Nancy  S.,  85;  N.  D.  C,  80;  S.  O., 
53;  William,  74. 
Breed's  pond,  277. 

I  Bridge,  first  over  .Saugus  river,  275. 
Bridges,  Capt.  Robert,   (106,  autograph) 

107,  120,  121,  122,  217. 
Brimblecom,  Col.  Samuel,  124,  252. 
Brooks,   Rev.   Elbridge   G.,   60;     John, 

228. 
Brown,  Goold,  124;     John,   278;     Mar 
tha,  232;     Nicholas,    (106,  autograph) 
107;      Rev.   Mr.,    232;       T.    L.,   23 
Theodate  B.,  199;     William,  47. 
Bubier,  Samuel  M.,  80,  (124,  with  auto- 
graph) 294. 
Buchanan,  President,  278. 
Buffum,  James  N.,  25,  31,  124,  (125,  with 
autograph);      Jonathan,   27,   125,    149, 
151,  152. 
Buildings,  ancient,  146,  153,  170,  224. 
Buildings,  new  in  1881,  273. 
Bull  fight,  277. 
Burchstead,  Dr.  Henry,  153;     Dr.  John 

H.,  153- 
Burial  at  Dungeon  Rock,  84. 
Burial  of  Mr.  Lewis,  256. 


Index. 


299 


Burrill,    Hon.   Ebenezer,    125;     George, 
(125,   with   autograph) ;      Hon.   John, 

125,  (126,  with  autograph)  227;    Theo- 
philus,  232. 

Burton,  Boniface,   (106,  autograph)    107, 

126,  276. 

Business,  condition  of,  54,  64,  69,  81,  222. 
Business  troubles,  52,  76. 
Buzzel,  George  W.,  29. 


Camp  meeting,  (Second  Advent)  24. 
Canker  worms,   caterpillars,   and   grass- 
hoppers, 276,  279. 
Carnahan,  Gen.  James,  88. 
Carnes,  John,  126,  154,  206. 
Carter,  Mary,  149;     William  F.,  149. 
Cat  show,  70. 
Cattle  shows,  81,  86. 
Celebrations : 

Atlantic  cable,  278. 

Centennial  of  the  Republic,  69,  71. 

First  Church,  250th  anniversary,  258. 

Richmond,  the  fall  of,   17. 

Settlement,  250th  anniversary  of,  79. 

St.  Patrick's  day,  62. 

Surrender  of  Gen.  Lee,  17. 

Cemeteries,  81,  232,  273,  278. 

Census,  271. 

Centennial  celebration,  69,  71. 

Centennial  Memorial,  72. 

Centennial  tree,  71. 

Central  avenue,  37. 

Chadwell,  Harris,  126;  Richard,  126: 
Thomas,  126;     William,  126. 

Charter,  city,  amendment  of,  278. 

Chase,  Charles,  150;  George  H.,  25,  72, 
79,  265,  284;  Hezekiah,  128;  John, 
128  ;  John  B.,  150  ;  Nathan  D.,  240 ; 
Samuel,  149;     Stephen,  Rev.,  128. 

Cheap  rail-road  trains,  55,  283. 

Cheever,  Col.  Abijah,  246;  Rev.  Ed- 
ward, 129  ;  Mrs.  E.  N.,  246  ;  Ezekiel, 
246;    Joseph,  51. 

Chicago  fire,  46. 

Children's  Home,  272. 

Childs,  Amariah,  129. 

Choir,  first  of  boys,  in  Lynn,  76. 

Christian  Association,  Young  Men's,  36, 
88. 

Chronological  Table,  275. 


Church,  the  First,  gathered,  275. 

Churches,  262. 

Circle,  Explormg,  90,  254. 

City  Clerks,  list  of,  with  autographs,  274. 

City  debt,  valuation,  taxation,  appropria- 
tions, and  expenditures,  272,  273. 

City  form  of  government,  278. 

City  Hall :  laying  of  corner  stone,  21  ; 
dedication  of,  24 ;     raising  of  bell,  49. 

Clams,  deaths  from  eating,  44. 

Clapp,  Henry,  129,  130. 

Clare,  Ada,  a  Bohemian,  130. 

Clark,  Charles  G.,  2S2 ;  Nathan,  284. 
William  A.,  80. 

Clarke,  (the  early  Baptist,  121);  Rev. 
James  Freeman,  86  ;  Jenny  P.,  her  re- 
mains found,  79  ;     Thomas,  1 13. 

Clay,  Henry,  278. 

Clerks,  City,  list  of,  with  autographs,  274. 

Chfford,  Harrison,  169. 

Chnton,  Jane,  47  ;     John  G.,  47. 

Clubs,  benevolent,  literary,  social,  etc.,  289. 

Coal,  early  use  of,  in  Lynn,  222. 

Cobb,  Ardra,  175. 

Gobbet,  Rev.  Thomas,  (106,  autograph) 
107,  121,  131,  217,259. 

Cobbet  school-house.  See  School  Houses. 

Coffin,  Dr.  Edward  L.,  74,  131. 

Coins,  the  pine  tree,  15S. 

Cold  days,  26,  31,48,  49. 

Coliseum,  Grand  Army,  282. 

Collins,  Daniel,  154;  Micajah,  131  ;  the 
name,  in  England,  208. 

Colorado  beetle,  or  potato  bug,  71. 

Comeouters,  130. 

Comets.     See  Natural  Phenomena. 

Common,  the,  37,  43,  71,  78,  88,  277. 

Common  sleepers  punished,  275. 

Concrete  crossings,  60. 

Congress  boots  first  manufactured,  277. 

Connor,  Jonathan,  149,  182. 

Cook,  Rev.  Joseph,  famous  lecturer,  42, 
132,  259. 

Cooke,  Rev.  Parsons,  132,  237,  259. 

Coolidge,  Oliver  B.,  63,  132. 

Cooper,  208. 

Constitution,  (frigate)  144. 

Copp's  Hill  burying  ground,  191. 

Corn,  importation  of,  228. 

Council,  Common,  presidents  of,  284. 


300 


Index. 


Courtis,  Abel  G.,  25. 

Cowdry,  William,   (106,  autograph)   107, 

132,232. 
Crandall,  (the  early  Baptist)  121. 
Crispin  (shoemakers')  strike,  52. 
Cromwell,  Oliver,  190. 
Currier,  Rev.  A.  H.,  37. 
Curtin,  Enoch,  132,  148,  150,  152. 
Cutler,  Micajah,  153. 
Cuzner,  John,  58. 

D. 

Dade,  Major,  176. 

Daguerreotype,  first  taken  in  Lynn,  277. 

Dagyr,  John  Adam,  132,  276. 

Dancing  school,  first  in  Lynn,  276. 

Danforth,  Jenny,  literary  Bohemian,  130. 

Dark  Days,  276. 

Dauphin,  the  French,  and  Iiermit  Gray, 

137- 
Davis,  Edward  S.,  (132,  with  autograph) 

293;     John,  241. 
Deaths,  accidental,  singular,  and  violent, 

18,  20,  24,  34,  36,  44,  47,  64,  74,  81,  84, 

85,  88,  162,  172,  173,  188,  2S2,  2S3. 
Debt,  City,  in  1881,  273. 
Decoration  day  observances,  26,  2)7^  43> 

50,  58,  62,  68,  71,  75,  79,  84,  88. 
DeCormis,  Rev.  Louis,  260. 
Dedications,  etc. : 

Central  church,  27. 

City  Hall,  24. 

First  Congregational  church,  54. 

First  Methodist  church,  79. 

Glen  Lewis,  254. 

Glenmere  Methodist  church,  49. 

Nahant  church,  32. 

Nahant  (R.  C.)  church,  51. 

Nahant  Town  Hall,  35. 

Saint  Stephen's  Memorial  church,  93. 

Saugus  Town  House,  73. 

School-houses,  35,  50,  54,  93. 

Soldiers'  Monument,  59. 

Tower  Hill  Methodist  church,  67. 

Universalist  church,  Nahant  street,  60. 

Washington  street  Baptist  church,  63. 
Deed  of  Lynn,  (Indian)  16,  276. 
Defence  of  Boston  harbor,  in  1813,  263. 
Dennen,  Rev.  Stephen  R.,  54,  259. 
Depositions,  and  old  and  quaint  petitions, 

letters,   accounts,  etc.,   104,   105,    109, 

113,  114,  122,  226,  131,  142,  162,  163, 

168,  219,  232,  233,  23S,  249. 


Depots,  rail-road,  40,  56. 
Dexter,  Rev.  Henry  M.,  258,  259 ;     Tho- 
mas, (133,  with  autograph)  258. 
Directory,  first  of  Lynn,  233,  277. 
Discomforts  of  travel,  252. 
Diseases  prevalent  in  Lynn,  273. 
Divisions  of  land,  275,  276. 
Doak,  Benjamin  F.,  133. 
Doak  Fund,  133. 

Doctors'  charges,  lifty  years  ago,  149. 
Doctors'  home,  153. 

Documents,   ancient.      See   Depositions. 
Dogs,  mad,  74. 
Dom  Pedro  Emperor  of  Brazil,  in  Lynn, 

71- 
Doolittle,  John,  (106,  autograph)  107,  133. 
Dory  voyage  to  Europe,  74. 
Dougherty,  John,  80. 
Douglass,  Frank  J.,  80. 
Downing,   Elijah,    133,    134,   265;     Rev. 

Joshua  Wells,  133. 
Drain,  public,  32. 
Draper,  Gen.  Alonzo,  G.,  20,  134. 
Driver,  Robert,  (106,  autograph)  107,  134. 
Droughts,  21,  44,  48,  283. 
Drown,  Rev.  Edward  L.,  260. 
Drowning  of  thirteen  persons,  of  pic-nic 

party,  in  Lynnfield  pond,  278. 
Dudley,  Governor,  loi. 
Dungeon  Rock,  28,  84,  172,  275. 
Dunton,  John,  226. 
Dwellings,  scarcity  of,  19. 

E. 

Fames,  Henry,  (106,  autograph)  107. 

Earthquakes,  34,  37,  276. 

East  Saugus  —  introduction  of  public  wa- 
ter, 78. 

Eaton,  Lilley,  historian,  205;  Nathaniel, 
232  ;     Thomas,  232. 

Ecclesiastical  proceedings,  260. 

Egg  Rock  Light,  278. 

Election  —  Artillery,  237  ;  Colonial,  234; 
Negro,  236. 

Electric  fire  alarm,  45. 

Electric  lights  introduced,  282. 

Elephant,  first  in  Lynn,  276. 

Elizabeth,  (Queen)  212. 

Ellis,  David,  150;     Capt.  John,  61. 

Emerson,  Rev.  Mr.,  206. 


Index. 


301 


Emmerton,  Dr.  James  A.,  189,  207,  208, 

209. 
Engine,  pumping,  at  water  works,  57. 
Episcopal  Church,  259. 
Exploring  Circle,  90,  254. 
Explosions,  steam,  282. 

F. 
Fairfield,  Governor,  50. 
Fairs,  64,  66,  81,  86. 
Fall  of  Richmond,  celebration  of,  17. 
Family  gathering,  Hawkes,  147. 
Farrington,  the  name,  in  England,  208. 
Fay,  Richard  S.,  19,  134. 
Felton,  John  B.,  75;     President,  62. 
Ferry  over  Saugus  river  established,  275. 
Field,  A.  C.  (called  Deacon)  147. 
Fire  Department,  82,  87,  159,  265. 
Fire  engines  and  appliances,  82,  159. 
Fires,  18,  20,  21,  22,  23,  29,  30,  35,  38,  43, 

44,  47,  49,  53,  55>  57,  58,  61,  64,  70,  72, 

74,  84,  86,  87,  88,  93,  277,  278,  279,  282» 

283. 
First   Church,    250th    anniversary,    258; 

succession  of  ministers,  259. 
Fish  and  fisheries,  18,  23,  24,  44,  48,  49, 

64,  69,  87,  222,  246,  278. 
Fisk,  Joseph,  no. 
Fitch,  Benjamin,  232. 
Fitz,  Zachary,  (106,  autograph)  107,  135. 
Flagg,  Dr.  John,  135. 
Flax  Pond  Company,  63. 
Flies  and  mosquitos,  53. 
Flint,  Alfred  P.,  80. 
Flora,  (negro)  135. 
Floyd,  or  Flud,  Joseph,  208. 
Flying  fish,  oif  Nahant,  24. 
Forest  movement  —  for   preservation   of 

the  woods,  90,  254. 
Forgetfulness,  singular  case  of,  58. 
Forman,  Eugene  F.,  88,  135. 
Fox,  Col.  C.  B.,  58;     Mary,  130. 
Frazier,  John,  33  ;     Mary,  33. 
Frear  stone  company,  51. 
Freemasons,  54,  204,  277. 
Free  public  forest  movement,  90,  254. 
French  Dauphin  and  Hermit  Gray,  137. 
Friends'  Conference,  60. 
Frogs  and  toads,  battle  of,  43. 
Frost  Levi,  1 50. 


Frosted  trees,  277. 

Fruit  and  fruit  trees,  20. 

Fry,  Charles  C,  77. 

Fuller,  John,  249 ;     Joseph,  135,  249,  250  . 

Maria  A.,  (135,  with  autograph);     Sal 

rah,  193. 
Funeral  expenses  and  oeculiar  customs 

at  burials,  231. 

G. 

Gales.     See  Natural  Phenomena. 

Gannett,  Rev.  Ezra  S.,  45. 

Gardner,   Dr.   James,    135 ;     James    II., 

135- 
Garfield,  President,  90. 
Garrison,  William  L.,  112. 
Gas,  illuminating,  278. 
Gatchell,  Elizabeth,  262  ;    Jeremiah,  261 ; 

John,  122;     Jo.seph,  261,  262. 
Gates,  Isaac,  33,  136. 
Geese,  wild.  57,  81. 
George  III,  King,  227. 
Gibson,  Edward,  18. 

Gifford,  Margaret,  an  alleged  witch,  276. 
Gillow,  John,   (106,  autograph)  107,  136, 

137- 
Gingle,  John,  218. 
Glen  Lewis,  254. 

Godson,  Thomas,  (106,  autograph)  107 
Gold  Fish  Pond,  38. 
Gold,  its  war-time  value,  78,  281 
Golden  rail-road  spike,  31. 
Golden  wedding,  85. 
Goodrich,  Caroline  C,  79. 
Gould,  Dr.  Abram,  21,  137. 
Government   weath,er   signals,    on    High 

Rock,  88. 
Gowan,  Daniel,  228  ;     David,  249 ;     John 

E.,  37- 
Grand  Army  Coliseum,  282. 
Grant,  President,  46,  184. 
Grasshoppers,  canker  worms,  caterpillars, 

and  potato  bugs,  71,  276. 
Gray,  George,  the  hermit,  137,  138,  (139, 

with  autograph)  277  ;     Horace,  (Judge) 

140;     William,  139,  210. 
Greeley,  Horace,  129. 
Green,  Joseph,  219. 
Gregg,  Richard,  24. 
Guy,  William,  163. 


302 


Index. 


H. 

Hall,  John  H.,  his  balloon  ascension,  27. 

Hallam,  Rev.  Isaac  W.,  260. 

Halsey,  Daniel,  140,  141;  Jesse,  140; 
Thomas,  140. 

Hamlin,  George,  149;     Thomas,  150. 

Hancock,  Governor,  276. 

Handford,  Nathaniel,  {106,  autograph) 
107,  141,  142,  143,  191. 

Hannibal,  (negro)  143. 

Harding,  Joseph,  54. 

Hargrave,  Captain,  113. 

Harmon,  RolHn  E.,  80. 

Harris,  Mrs.  Abbie  L.,  72. 

Harrison,  President,  194. 

Hart,  Edmund,  144,  145 ;  Isaac,  145  j 
John,  144;  Joseph,  145,  224;  Lois, 
145 ;  Michael,  146 ;  Capt.  Ralph,  143, 
145  ;  Samuel,  143,  225 ;  Stephen,  145 ; 
Thomas,  146;     WiUiam,  146. 

Harte,  Francis  Bret,  145. 

Hartwell,  Olive,  160. 

Harwood,  Charles  E.,  80. 

Hatch,  Anthony,  81. 

Hathorne,  William,  270. 

Haven,  Bishop  E.  O.,  146  ;  Bishop  Gil- 
bert, 146;  Richard,  71,145,146,187, 
224;     Samuel  F.,  146. 

Hawkes,  Adam,  85,  146 ;  Nathan  M.,  80, 
85,  284.    Hawkes  family  gathering,  147. 

Hazeltine,  Dr.  Richard,  iii,  147,  148, 
149,  152,  153,  154,205. 

Heights  of  Lynn,  table  of,  251. 

Henchman,  Rev.  Nathaniel,  154,  206,  250. 

Henshaw,  Daniel,  150,  151,  152. 

Hentz,  Caroline  Lee,  154. 

Hermit  Gray,  137,  138,  139. 

Hewes,  David,  31. 

Higginson,  Col.  T.  W.,  84. 

Hills,  Rev.  C.  D.,  72,  77  ;     Nathaniel,  72. 

Hills  of  Lynn,  table  of  heights  of,  251. 

History  of  Lynn,  different  editions  of,  251. 

Hitchings,  Major  Ezra,  154,  264,  265. 

Hobby,  Rev.  Mr.,  205,  206. 

Holder,  William  C,  284. 

Hollis,  Charles  D.,  284. 

Holmes,  (the  early  Baptist)  121;  Oliver 
W.,  86. 

Holyoke,  Edward,  (106,  autograph)   107, 

133,  156- 


Home,  Children's,  272. 

Home  for  Aged  Women,  62,  73. 

Homoeopathic  society,  50. 

Hood,  Elizabeth,  194 ;     George,  Mayor, 

156,  (157.   with   autograph)   210,  292; 

Mary  J.,  28,  30;     Richard,  194. 
Hop  tea,  148. 

Horse  disease,  singular,  56. 
Horse  rail-roads,  93,  278. 
Horse  trot,  first  in  New  England,  277. 
Horses  in  Lynn,  and  their  value,  20. 
Hospital,  Lynn,  270. 
Hotel,  Lynn,  117,  276. 
Houghton,  Abel,  149,  150. 
House,  Ned,  a  Bohemian,  130. 
Houses,  old  and  historic,  146,  153,  170, 

224. 
Hovey,  Rufus  P.,  149,  150. 
Hudson,  Mary,  143. 

Humfrey,  John,  (157,  with  autograph)  275. 
Hurd,  Rev.  Isaac,  157,  259. 
Huskings,  old  time,  117. 
Hutchins,  Commodore,  84. 
Hutchinson,  Jesse,  157;     Judson  J.,  157. 
Hydrophobia,  74. 

I. 

Ice  trade,  78,  84. 

Illustrations,  pictorial.  See  pp.  vii  and  viii. 

Immigration  of  rats,  263. 

Independence  day,  19,  32,  ^l,  85. 

Indian  character,  14. 

Indian  deed  of  Lynn,  16,  276. 

Indian  land  titles,  15. 

Indian  relics,  62,  69. 

Indian  signatures  to  deed  of  Lynn,  16. 

Indian  summer,  24. 

Indian,  the  old,  a  famous  tree,  225. 

Indian  visitors,  44. 

Infantry  veteran  parade,  78. 

Ingalls,  Edmund,  54,  157,  275  ;  Ephraim 
A.,  (274,  with  autograph) ;  Francis, 
54.  157.  27s;  John  J.,  157;  Nathan- 
iel, 150;'     Rufus,  157. 

Ingalls  school-house,  54. 

Inscription  for  tavern  sign-board,  141. 

Inscription  on  Dighton  Rock,  11. 

Ireson,    Samuel   E.,    158;      Samuel   J., 

158. 
Iron  works,  120,  275. 


Index. 


303 


J- 

Jackson,  Dr.  James,  181  ;  John  A.,  59, 
81 ;     President,  189. 

Jacobs,  Benjamin  H.,  32,  158;  Edwin 
S.,  32. 

Jenks,  Joseph,  15S,  159;     Rev.  Wm.,  159. 

Jennie  P.  Clarke,  her  remains  found,  79. 

Johnson,  Caleb,  159;  Cornet,  161  ;  Capt, 
the  Atlantic  dory  voyager,  74 ;  Daniel, 
161;  Edward,  121;  Edwin  H.,  30; 
Enoch,  160;  Capt.  Joseph,  160 ;  Otis, 
160,  i6i ;  Richard,  (106,  autograph) 
107,  161  J  Rufus  A.,  30;  Samuel,  161 ; 
William  F.,  Mayor,  (162,  with  auto- 
graph) 293. 

Joinville,  Prince  de,  138. 

Jordan,  John  R.,  80. 

Jones,  Benjamin  H.,  (274,  with  auto- 
graph) ;     Thomas,  47. 

Jubilees,  peace,  musical,  31,  50. 

Joyce  children,  their  burial,  18. 

K. 

Kearney,  Dennis,  the  sand-lot  orator,  77. 

Keayne,  Capt.  Robert,  123,  206. 

Keene,  Avis,  24,  162;  George  W.,  61, 
162;     Josiah,  24. 

Keith,  Rev.  George,  239. 

Kelley,  John,  198. 

Kertland,  Nathaniel,  no;  Philip,  (106, 
autograph)  107,  162,  262,  275;  Rev. 
Samuel,  262. 

Keyser,  George,  (106,  autograph)  107,  162. 

Kimball,  Charles  E.,  25,  80,  2S4 ;  Dr. 
Daniel  F.,  79;  Josiah  F.,  So;  Rufus,  25 

King,  Blaney,  163;  Daniel,  162,  163; 
Elizabeth,  163;  Ralph,  163, 164;  Wil- 
liam, (106,  autograph)  107. 

King  of  the  Bohemians,  (H.  Clapp)   129. 

Kirby,  Mary,  18. 

Kirtland.     See  Kertland. 

Kittredge,  Dr.  Edward  A.,  31,  164. 

Kossuth,  the  Hungarian  patriot,  278, 

Kyrtland,  208. 


Labor  troubles,  52,  76. 
Ladies  on  school  committee,  38. 
Lafayette,  General,  1S9,  276,  277. 
Lakeman,  Rachel,  179. 


Lamphier,  J.  Frank ,  80. 

Land,  price  of,  36. 

Land,  public,  divisions  of,  275,  276. 

Last  dwelling  house  on  Market  street,  74. 

Laughton,  the  name,  208  ;     Thomas,  106, 

107,  (164,  w4th  autograph). 
Law  office,  first  in  Lynn,  277. 
Lawrie,  Richard  C,  80. 
Lawson,  Christopher,  104;     Mr.,  219. 
Lawsuits,  evils  of,  102,  104,  122. 
Lectures  :   of  Rev.  Joseph  Cook,  42 ;     of 

Wan  Chin  Foo,  (a  Chinaman),  64. 
Lee,  Confederate  General,  his  surrender, 

17,  192;     General,  of  the  Revolution, 

140. 
Leonard,  Henry  and  James,  164. 
Letter  the  famous  Morey,  87. 
Lewis,  Alonzo,   150,  152,  164,   165,   166, 

(167,   with  autograph)    168,    172,   202 

226,  229,  230,  251,  252,  254,  255,  256 

257,  278,  287 ;     Jacob  M.,  Mayor, 

(167,  with  autograph)  294;    James,  149 
Library,  Free  Public,  82,  95,  199,  273,  279 
Life  in  the  west,  in  early  times,  182. 
Light  Infantry,  78,  277,  279. 
Lightfoot,  Francis,  (106,  autograph)  107, 

167. 
Lightning,  singular  efiects  of,  50,  75,  276. 
Likenesses.     See  Portraits. 
Lincoln,  President,  his  assassination,  18. 
List  of  City  Clerks,  with  autographs,  274. 
List  of  Mayors,  with  autographs,  292. 
List  of  Presidents  of  the  Council,  284. 
Lobsters,  18,  49,  277. 
Logan,  General,  26. 
Long  hair  denounced,  122. 
Longley,  Ann,  168;     Mary,  168;     Wra., 

(106,  autograph)  107,  167,  168. 
Lord,  Daniel  J.,  93. 
Lovering,  Henry  B.,   Mayor,   (169,  with 

autograph)  294. 
Lummus,  Aaron,  169;     Charles  F.,   169, 

(170,  with  autograph)    202,   233,  277; 

Dr.  John,  125;     William,  80. 
Lynde,  Benjamin,  143. 
Lynn  Directory,  the  first,  233,  277. 
Lynn : 

her  people  and  their  pursuits,  247. 
Hills,  table  of  heights  of,  251. 
History  of,  251. 


304 


Index. 


Lynn : 

Hospital,  270. 

in  1750  and  1817,  227. 

made  a  market  town,  278. 

Post-office,  264. 

receives  her  present  name,  275. 

Public  Records  of,  229. 

statistical   matters.     See    Statistics. 
Lynnfield  incorporated,  277. 

M. 

Mackerel.     See  Fish. 

Mad  dogs,  74. 

Mailey,  Mary,  150. 

Manor,  the  Newhall,  in  England,  190. 

Mansfield,  Andrew,  109,  (170,  with  auto- 
graph) 174,  229;  Epes,  24;  Dr.  Jo- 
seph, 170,  171,  172;     Sylvester,  80. 

Marble  lidwin,  84.  172;  Hiram,  28,  172, 
278. 

Marlor,  John,  80. 

Marriage  portion,  113. 

Marriages,  2J3. 

Married  in  dishabille,  228. 

Marsh,  Charles  P.,  214;     Thomas  J.,  265. 

Marshall,  Thomas,  (106,  autograph)   172, 

Martin,  A.  B.,  So;  Deacon  George,  172  ; 
Josiah,  173. 

Masonic  lodge,  277. 

Masonic  parade,  60.     See  Freemasons. 

Massey,  Benjamin,  154;  Robert,  (106, 
autograph)  107. 

Mather,  Cotton,  1S2;     Richard,  104. 

Matrimonial  finesse,  230. 

Maverick,  Samuel,  113. 

May-day  horns,  77. 

Mayflower,  the  ship,  257. 

May,  L.  A.,  80. 

Mayors,  list  of,  with  autographs,  292. 

McDonald,  Donald,  277. 

McKenney,  John,  43. 

McMahon,  James,  84. 

Mechanics'  fair,  64. 

Medical  services,  charges  for,  149. 

Memorial,  Centennial,  72. 

Memorial  Day,  Soldiers'.  See  Decoration 
day  observances. 

Memorial  stone,  Sadler,  206. 

Memory,  strange  lapses  of,  58,  171. 

Merrill,  Benj.,  277;    George  S.,  62. 


Merritt,  Charles,  73,  150,  152,  (173,  with 
autograph)  274;     Timothy,  73. 

Meteoric  shower,  277. 

Meteors.     See  Natural  Phenomena. 

Methodist  Conference,  74. 

Midnight  bells,  90. 

Miles,  S.  P.,  86. 

Mill,  first  in  Lynn,  275. 

Mills,  William  H.,  207. 

Ministers:  of  First  Parish,  259;  of  St. 
Stephen's,  260. 

Mirage.     See  Natural  Phenomena. 

Missionary,  City,  54. 

Mitchell,  William  F.,  54. 

Montague,  Admiral,  144. 

Montowampate,  (Indian)  14,  173. 

Monument,  Soldiers',  59. 

Moody,  Lady  Deborah,  173;     True,  173. 

Moore,  Henry,  79,  173. 

Morey  letter,  the,  87. 

Morocco  manufacturers,  51,  276. 

Mormonism,  lecture  on,  67. 

Morse,  Professor,  proceedings  in  relation 
to  his  decease,  50. 

Mosquitoes  and  flies,  53. 

Mottey,  Rev.  Joseph,  173,  285. 

Moulton,  Anne,  175;  Charles  H.,  175; 
Daniel,  150;  James  T.,  175;  John 
T.,  171,  172,  175,  1S6;  Joseph,  174, 
175;     Solomon,  172,  175      Walter  S., 

175- 

Mudge,  Benjamin,  175,  176,  265  ;  Benja- 
min F.,  Mayor,  (177,  with  autograph) 
292 ;  Daniel  L.,  134 ;  Rev.  Enoch, 
92,  149,  152,  177;  Enoch  Redington, 
91,  92,  152,  177,  260;  Ezra,  177; 
Ezra  Warren,  177,  (178,  with  auto- 
graph) 293 ;  James,  228 ;  Joseph, 
175;     Robert  R.,  176. 

Mulliken,  Samuel,  154,  179,  264,  265. 

Munroe,  President,  his  visit  to  Lynn,  277 ; 
Col.  Timothy,  179. 

Murders : 

of  Nathan  Breed,  jr.,  279. 
of  Jennie  P.  Clarke,  79. 
of  the  Joyce  children,  18. 
by  William  Vennar,  47. 

Music  and  musicians,  114. 

Music,  bands  of,  57. 

Music  Hall,  38. 


Index. 


305 


N. 

Nahant,  26,  278. 

Nahanton,  (Indian)  179. 

Nanapashemet,  (Indian)  179. 

Nash,  Lonson,  241,  242. 

Natural  Phenomena,  13,  21,  22,  23,  26, 
31.  33.  35-  39,  43.  46,  48,  49,  5o,  53>  60, 
63,  70,  73,  74,  75,  76,  78,  81,  86,  87,  89, 
276,  277,  278,  279,  283. 

Neal,  Edward  C,  284;  George  C,  80, 
284;  Peter  M.,  Mayor,  25,  (179  with 
autograph)  293. 

Negro  election,  236. 

Nettleton,  Col.  E.  P.,  59. 

New  buildings  in  1881,  273. 

Newell  and  Newhall,  the  names,  190, 
191. 

Newell,  Samuel,  181. 

Newhall  and  Newell,  the  names,  190, 
191. 

Newhall,  Abby,  199;  Amos,  249;  An- 
thony, 143,  180,  189,  194;  Asa  T., 
180;  Benjamin,  1 14,  1 56,  232 ;  Benja- 
min F.,  of  Saugus,  180;  Charles  L., 
193;  Elizabeth,  160,  168;  Emmota, 
190;  Col.  Ezra,  191,  193;  Francis 
S.,  180;  Frederic,  149;  Col.  Frederic 
C,  192 ;  Capt.  George  T.,  72,  80, 
2S4 ;  Gilbert,  191 ;  Harrison,  30,  204 ; 
Henry,  180;  Dr.  Horatio,  181, 182, 183, 
184,  186;  Isaac,  185,  186;  Jacob, 
187,  249 ;  James,  208 ;  James  R.,  22, 
25,  72,  80,  187,  225,  251,  2S4,  287; 
John,  142,  149,  162,  168;  John  B., 
187  ;  John  M.,  76;  Joseph,  187,  249 ; 
Josiah,  188;  Locker,  249;  Nathaniel, 
142,  143,  191 ;  Thomas,  19,  143,  146, 
167,  180,  189,  190,  275,  276;  Thomas 
A.,  (of  Philadelphia)  191,  192,  193; 
Thomas  B.,  22,  25,  72,  265;  Capt. 
Walter  S.,  192  ;     Winthrop,  203. 

Newhalls,  the,  in  England,  1S9. 

Newspapers,  27,  45,  70,  96,  147,  151,  183, 
268,  269,  277. 

Nichols,  Col.  John,  67  ;     Thomas  P.,  25. 

Night  arch,  277. 

Northern  lights.   See  Natural  Phenomena. 

Northmen,  the,  9. 

Notes,  Miscellaneous,  221. 

Nye,  Dr.  James  M.,  50. 


O. 

O'Baldwin,  prize  fighter,  28. 
O'Brien,  Fitz  James,  130. 
Odd  Fellows,  44,  45,  55. 
Old  documents  and  papers.     See  Depo- 
sitions. 
Old  grave-yards,  232. 
Old  houses,  146,  153,  170,  224. 
Old  Indian,  (tree)  225. 
Old  people,  24,  28,  30,  51,  54,  126,  276. 
Old  time  shoemaker,  128. 
Old  Tunnel  meeting-house,  276. 
Oliver,  Stephen,  149,  152,  194,  195,  265. 
Onslow,  the  parliamentary  speakers,  227. 

P. 

Paine,  Rev.  George  S.,  260. 

Palmer,  John,  227. 

Papers,  old  and  curious.  See  Deposi- 
tions. 

Park,  the,  37. 

Parker,  Nathaniel,  232;  Thomas.  (106, 
autograph)  107,  195  ;  Rev.  Theodore, 
195,  202. 

Parsons,  Charles  E.,  (274,  with  auto- 
graph) ;     Rev.  Obadiah,  195,  196,  259. 

Patch,  Charles  F.,  196. 

Patten,  Caroline  A.,  92. 

Payer,  Mr.,  75. 

Peabody,  Rev.  David,  259;  Rev.  Dr., 
210. 

Peace  jubilees,  musical,  31,  50. 

Peale,  Rembrandt,  iii. 

Pearls  in  Lynn  ponds,  278. 

Pearson,  John,  109,  no. 

Peirce,  John,  163. 

Penn,  William,  144. 

Penny,  Alonzo,  80. 

Pepperell,  Sir  William,  250. 

Perley,  Dr.  Daniel,  196. 

Personal  Notices.  See  Biographical 
Sketches. 

Persons,  Robert,  (106,  autograph)  107. 

Peters,  Hugh,  197. 

Petition,  the  Armitage,  105. 

Petitions,  old  and  quaint.  See  Deposi- 
tions, &c. 

Phenomena,  celestial,  &c.  See  NaturaJ 
Phenomena. 

Philip,  King  Louis,  138. 


20 


3o6 


Index. 


Phillips,  George  W.,  85,  197 ;  Mary,  28 ; 
Rev.  Mr.,  250;  Wendell,  112;  Wm. 
B.,  80. 

Phinney,  Col.,  211. 

Phosphorescent  glow  on  the  sea,  76. 

Photography,  18,  277. 

Physicians'  charges,  149. 

Pickering,  Col.  Timothy,  193. 

Pic-nic  parties,  45,  278, 

Pictorial  illustrations.    See  pp.  vii  and  viii. 

Pierson,  Rev.  Abraham,  197. 

Pine  Grove  Cemetery.     See  Cemeteries. 

Pine  Hill,  225,  251. 

Pine  Hill  reservoir,  56. 

Pines,  Point  of,  244. 

Pitcher,  Mary,  (Moll)  154,  (i9g,  with  au- 
tograph) 277. 

Plantation  bell,  175. 

Pieasanton,  General,  75. 

Point  of  Pines,  244. 

Police  Court  and  police  business,  80,  271, 
278. 

Polk,  President,  in  Lynn,  277. 

Pollard,  Rev.  F.  J.  W.,  260. 

Polls,  number  of,  273. 

Pompey,  (negro)  198. 

Ponds,  38,  39,  43,  61,  277,  278. 

Poole,  Samuel,  232. 

Poor,  provisions  for  the,  82. 

Pope,  Hannah,  119. 

Population,  271. 

Poquanum,  (Indian)  198,  259. 

Portraits.     See  page  viii. 

Post-masters,  list  of,  265. 

Post-of&ce,  264,  276,  279. 

Potato  bug,  or  Colorado  beetle,  71. 

Potato  rot,  in  1770,  276. 

Potter,  Nathaniel,  276;     Robert,  162. 

Prairie  travel,  182. 

P  ranker,  Edward,  20,  198. 

Pratt  bequest,  the,  199. 

Pratt,  James,  199;  Micajah  C,  198; 
Sidney  B.,  199. 

Prescott,  William  H.,  18,  239. 

Prescott's  Walk,  239. 

Presidents  of  Common  Council,  list  of,  284. 

Prices,  excessive,  unlawful,  112. 

Printers'  and  Publishers'  association,  37. 

Prize  fighting,  28,  61,  278. 

Professional  charges  of  old  physician,  149. 


Prognostications,  wonderful,  94. 

Public  affairs,  meeting  for  discussion  on, 

37- 

Public  forest,  free,  90,  254. 

Public  Library,  82,  95,  199. 

Publishers'  and  Printers'  association,  37 

Pumping  engine  at  water  works,  57. 

Purchis,    Oliver,    200,    (201,    with    auto- 
graph) ;     Sarah,  200 ;     Thomas,  201. 

Purinton,  James,  28,  71. 


Quarrel  between  neighbors,  168. 
Quincy,  President,  252. 
Quonopkonat,  (Indian)  201. 


Rail-road  matters,  40,  44,  48,  55,  56,  60, 
67,  68,  85,  93,  222,  277,  278,  238, 

Ramsdell,  Abednego,  201;  C.  H.,  80; 
John,  (106,  autograph)  107,  201  ;  Na- 
than A.,  80 ;     Oliver,  80. 

Randolph,  Secretary,  159,  276. 

Rats,  immigration  of,  263. 

Rattlesnakes,  22,  28,  76. 

Read,  Dr.  Philip,  276. 

Real  estate,  prices  of,  36,  54. 

Rebellion,  Shays's,  238. 

Records  of  Lynn,  229. 

Rednap,  Joseph,  109. 

Reeves,  Robert  H.,  his  tragic  death,  34. 

Regattas,  37,  50. 

Religious  matters,  239,  261. 

Religious  societies,  list  of,  262. 

Representative,  the  first  sent  from  Lynn, 

275- 
Reservoir,  Pine  Hill,  56. 
Resources  and  supplies,  246. 
Revere,  Paul,  77. 
Revere,  rail-road  disaster  at,  44. 
Revival,  religious,  74. 
Rhodes,  Amos,   154,  201;     Henry,  (106, 

autograph,)  107,  203. 
Rich,  Abigail,  175. 
Richards,  Richard,  203. 
Richardson,  James  N.,  80;     John,  239; 

Jonathan,  203  ;      Thomas   P.,   Mayor, 

72,  204,  (205,  with  autograph)  292. 
Richmond,  fall  of,  17. 
Robbery  of  Aza  A.  Breed,  76. 


Index. 


307 


Robbins,  Rev.  Chandler,   154,  205;    Dr. 

Peter  G.,  153,  154,  205  ;     Rev.  Samuel 

D.,  154,  205. 
Robinson,  Christopher,  129  ;    Col.  James, 

156,  205,  264,  265 ;     Noah,  284. 
Roby,  Rev.  Joseph,  100,  205,  206. 
Rood,  William  H.,  80. 
Roundy,  Sarah,  47. 
Ruck,  Elizabeth,  104;    John,  104. 


Sadler  memorial  stone,  206. 

Sadler,  Richard,  206. 

Sadler's  Rock,  206. 

Saint  John,  Elizabeth,  244. 

Sanderson,  George  P.,  Mayor,  80,  (207, 
with  autograph)  294. 

Sandwich  settled  by  Lynn  people,  275. 

Sandyll,  Thomas,  257. 

Saugus  incorporated,  277. 

Saugus  public  water,  78. 

Savage,  Charles  L.,  58. 

Saxton,  Thomas,  36. 

School-master,  an  old  time,  114. 

Schools  and  school-houses,  50,  54,  82, 
114,  266. 

Schooners,  three-masted,  61. 

Sea-serpent,  69,  240,  263,  277. 

Seaver,  Col.  James  W.,  1S4. 

Secessionists,  treatment  of,  17,  18. 

Second  Advent  camp  meeting,  24. 

Sermon,  first  in  Waldo,  Me.,  250. 

Sermons,  model,  209. 

Shakspeare,  146. 

Sharks,  19,  23 

Shaw,  Dora,  a  Bohemian,  130. 

Shays's  rebellion,  238. 

Shepard,  Rev.  Jeremiah,  35,  141,  164, 
207,  217,  259,  276  ;     William,  80. 

Sheridan,  General,  192. 

Sherman,  General,  21. 

Shipton,  Mother,  her  prophesies,  94. 

Shipwrecks,  36,  60,  276,  277,  278,  279. 

Shipyard,  Hart's,  144. 

Shirt,  theft  of  a,  232. 

Shoe  and  leather  trade  gathering,  51. 

Shoe,  the  monster,  on  wheels,  203. 

Shoemakers,  Shoemaking,  and  Shoe  Bu- 
siness, 20,  39,  52,  83,  128,  222,  228,  275, 


278. 


Shorey,  John  L.,  80 ;     Miles,  276. 

Shott,  Peter,  149. 

Showers,  remarkable.  See  Natural  Phe- 
nomena. 

Siamese  twins,  230. 

Silsbee,  different  spellings  of  the  name, 
208 ;  Henry,  207,  208,  209 ;  Nathan- 
iel, 208. 

Skeletons  exhumed,  46. 

Skinner,  Joseph,  249. 

Skirmishing  neighbors,  168. 

Skrellings,  an  ancient  race,  10,  11. 

Slavery,  abolishment  of,  226. 

Slaves  owned  in  Lynn,  in  1776,  276. 

Sleeping  in  meeting,  112. 

Small  pox,  48,  276. 

Smith,  Fred,  77;  Horace,  253;  John 
H.,  64, 

Snell,  William,  So. 

Snow  storms,  great.     See  Storms. 

Soldiers'  monument,  59. 

Sparhawk,  Rev.  Nathaniel,  209. 

Sparrows,  English,  58. 

Specie,  transportation  of,  232. 

Speculations  in  real  estate,  54- 

Spelling  matches,  66. 

Spider's  bite,  supposed  death  from,  84. 

Spinney,  Benjamin  b'.,  93. 

Spontaneous  combustion,  44. 

Sprague,  Preserved,  149,  151. 

Stackpole,  Lydia,  149. 

Stage  ride,  old  fashion,  77. 

Stations,  rail-road,  40,  56. 

Statistical  items,  relating  to  various  peri- 
ods, 19,  20,  23,  25,  26,  35,  38,  39,  48, 
56,  57,  61,  66,  81,  82,  83,  87,  95,  96, 
222,  262,  '65  '67,  '68,  '71,  '72,  '73. 

Steam  boat  travel,  early,  223. 

Steam  boiler  explosions,  282. 

Steele,  Rev.  Daniel,  72. 

Stevens,  Gen.  A.  F.,  68. 

St.  John,  Elizabeth,  244. 

St.  Patrick's  day,  celebration  of,  62. 

St.  Stephen's  Church,  and  St.  Stephen's 
Parish,  76,  86,  91,  93,  136,  259. 

Stickney,  Jeremiah  C,  32,  23>  (209  with 
autograph)  265. 

Stocker,  George  W.,  273. 

Stone,  Sadler  memorial,  206. 

Storer,  Eben,  232. 


3o8 


Index. 


Storms,  violent,  22,  23,  39,  46,  53,  60,  70, 

74,  75.  276,  277,  278,  282. 
Stowe,  James,  207,  208. 
Streets  of  Lynn,  60,  271. 
Strike,  shoemakers',  52. 
Sunday  school  statistics,  of  1865,  16. 
Sun  fish,  24. 

Surplus  U.  S.  revenue,  distribution  of,  277. 
Swamp,  Tomlins's  211. 
Swampscott,  as  a  watering  place,  54. 
Swampscott,  incorporation  of,  278. 
Swett,  Col.  Samuel,  210;     Rev.  William 

Gray,  140,  203,  209,  210. 
Switzer,  James  W.,  80. 


Tarbox,  James  M.,  75,  76;  J.  K.,  44; 
Samuel,  no. 

Tarring  and  feathering,  18,  43. 

Tavern  sign-board  inscription,  141. 

Taverns,  old  style,  103,  227. 

Taxation,  19,  272. 

Taylor,  Bayard,  187;  David,  45,  211; 
Capt.  R.  G.,  161 ;     Virginia,  161. 

Tea,  historic,  246. 

Tebbetts,  Ezra  R.,  278, 

Telegraph,  introduction  of,  278. 

Telephone  introduced,  81. 

Temperature,  curiosities  of,  78,  282, 

Thacher,  Rev.  Thomas  C.,  211,  214,  259; 
Rev.  Dr.  Peter,  214. 

Thompson,  George,  151. 

Thunder  and  lightning.     See  Lightning. 

Thurston,  John  A.,  48. 

Titles,  Indian  land,  15. 

Titles,  personal,  253. 

Toads  and  frogs,  battle  of,  43. 

Todd,  Mary  W.,  124;     Relief,  175. 

Tolman,  John  B.,  270. 

Tomlins,  Edward,  (106,  autograph)  107, 
211;  Timothy,  (106,  autograph)  107, 
211. 

Tow'nsend,  the  name,  208 ;  Andrew,  212; 
Charles  H.,  212;  Daniel,  212;  Tho- 
mas, (106,  autograph)  107,  211,  212. 

Tracy,  Cyrus  M.,  25,  79. 

Tragedies.     See  Murders. 

Tramps.  65. 

Transcript,  newspaper,  25. 

Travel,  43,  222,  223,  252. 


Trawl  fishing,  278. 

Treadwell,  Rev.  John,  100,  212,  259. 

Trees,  remarkable,  224.  225,  239. 

Trenton  Hose  Company,  visit  of,  28. 

Trevett,  Robert  W.,  33,  149,  152,  212. 

Trials,  Police  Court  and  Justice,  80,  271. 

Triplets,  birth  of,  62. 

True,  Rev.  Edward  H.,  260. 

Tubular  wells,  86. 

Tudor,  Frederic,  160,  212. 

Tufts,  David,  212;     Gardiner,  80,  212; 

Deacon  Richard,  212. 
Turner,  Capt.  Nathaniel,  213,  275. 
Turnpike,  Boston  and  Salem,  35,  276. 
Twins,  the  Siamese,  230. 
Two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary,  79. 
Tyler,  Andrew,  232. 

U. 

United  States  surplus  revenue,  distribu- 
tion of,  277. 

Universalist  Convention,  69. 

Upham,  Hon.  Charles  W.,  218;  U.  S. 
senator,  214. 

Usher,  E.  P.,  59;  Hezekiah,  237  ;  Leo- 
nard B.,  265;  Roland  G.,  Mayor,  25, 
(213,  with  autograph)  238,  294. 

V. 

Vacations  and  vacation  tours,  288. 
Vagrants,  tramps,  65. 
Valuation  and  ta.xation,  272. 
Vassar,  Rev.  C.  T.,  26. 
Veal,  Thomas,  275. 
Veazie,  W.  G.,  79. 
Velocipedes  and  bicycles,  29. 
Vennar,  William,  a  desperado,  47. 
Veteran  parade.  Infantry,  78. 
Vickings,  the,  9. 
Victoria,  Queen,  278. 
Vincent,  George  W.,  80. 
Vinton,  John,  213. 
Vital  statistics  of  1881,  273. 
Volunteer  labor,  67,  263. 

W. 

Walden,  Edwin,  Mayor,  (214,  with  auto- 
graph) 294. 
Waldo,  General,  250. 
Wales,  Prince  of,  in  Lynn,  278. 


Index. 


309 


Walker,  Richard,  (106,  autograph)  107, 
214. 

Wallis,  George,  113. 

Ward,  landlord,  227 ;     Rev.  Milton,  260. 

Washburn,  Gov.  Peter  T.,  214,  216 ;  Reu- 
ben P.,  214,  216. 

Washington,  his  rebuke  of  Gen.  Lee, 
140;     visits  Lynn,  276. 

Water,  and  the  city  supply,  35,  39,  56,  57, 
60,  77. 

Waters,  Rev.  George,  260;  Henry  F.. 
189,  193,  208. 

Webber,  James  W.,  249. 

Wells,  tubular,  86. 

Wesley,  John,  226;     Samuel,  226,  227. 

Western  life,  early,  182. 

Whales,  19,  23,  276,  277. 

White,  Capt.  John,  270 ;     William  A.,  260. 

Whitefield,  Rev.  George,  206,  276. 

Whiting,  Col.  John,  243  ;  Rev.  Joseph, 
259  ;  Maj.  Gen.,  (Confederate)  243  ; 
Rev.  Samuel,  35,  (106,  autograph)  107, 
121,  217,  21S,  243,  244,  259;  William, 
218,  243. 

Whitman,  Walt,  130. 

Whiton,  Rev.  James  M.,  259. 

Whitten,  officer,  48. 

Whittle,  George  D.,  284. 

Widger,  Capt.  Thomas,  42,  218. 

Wild  Flowers  and  Sea  Shells,  287. 


Wildes,  Rev.  George  D.,  260. 

Wild  geese,  57,  81. 

Wilkins,  Bray,  218,  219. 

Will,  difficulty  concerning  Mr.  Axey's, 
109. 

Willard,  John,  a  witchcraft  victim,  218, 
229. 

Williams,  Col.,  217;  Eleazer,  the  sup- 
posed French  dauphin,  137,  138,  139; 
Rev.  John,  139;     Joseph,  276. 

Willis,  Thomas,  219. 

Witchcraft,  218,  219,  276. 

Women,  home  for  aged,  62,  73. 

Won  Chin  Foo,  Chinese  lecturer,  64. 

Wood,  John,  (106,  autograph)  107,  220; 
William,  220,  275. 

Woods,  Rev.  Mr.,  23. 

Woodward,  Thomas,  famous  awl-maker, 
238. 

World's  Exposition,  281. 

Wormstead,  John  B.,  63,  220. 

Wormuld,  Joseph,  prize-fighter,  28. 

Wrestling  match,  fatal,  18. 

Y. 

Yacht  Club,  37,  50. 

Yawata,  (Indian)  220. 

Yellow  day,  89. 

Young,  Brigham,  Mormon  prophet,  67. 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  36, 88. 


WITT'S  ROCK. 
(Now  called  Lover's  Leap.) 


310 


Index. 


INDEX  TO  PICTORIAL  ADDENDA. 


Addenda,  Pictorial,  311. 

Bachelor,  Rev.  Stephen,  312. 

Churches  and  ministers,  311,312,  313,314. 

Cobbet,  Rev.  Thomas,  311. 

Cooke,  Rev.  Parsons,  314. 

Dwellings,  style  of,  318,319,  320,  321. 

Flagg,  Dr.  John,  319. 

Forest  Place,  (Stickney's  Hill,)  322,  323. 

Gambrel-roof  houses,  319. 

Gates,  Lawyer,  his  office,  314. 

Gray,  Judge  Horace,  320;     William,  320. 

Lee,  Jesse,  314. 

Lynn,  views  in,  323,  325,  327. 

Lynnmere,  (Mineral  spring  precinct,)  325. 

Meeting  Houses.     See  Churches. 


Methodism,  cradle  of,  315. 

Mudge,  Enoch  R.,  314,  321. 

Old  Tunnel  meeting-house,  312. 

Peters,  Hugh,  311. 

Pictorial  Addenda,  311. 

Picturesque  Lynn,  322,  323,  325,  327. 

Public  buildings,  315. 

Rail-road  stations,  316. 

Rebecca  Nurse  house,  31S. 

Shoemakers'  shop,  unique,  313. 

Shoe-manufactories  and  shops,  316,  3 1 7. 

Town  House,  the  old,  315. 

Views  in  Lynn,  323,  325,  327. 

Williams,  Roger,  320. 

Witch  house,  320. 


OLD    TIMK    SlIOE?.IAKIii;S    AT    \VOi;K. 


S.V  Aii^e  ^16.] 


PICTORIAL     ADDENDA. 


A  FEW  closing  pages  may,  without  doubt  to  the  acceptance 
of  the  reader,  be  devoted  to  a  limited  number  of  pictorial  illus- 
trations, such  as  cannot  fail,  in  a  manner  clearer  than  words,  to 
elucidate  certain  matters  pertaining  to  our  history,  which  it  is 
well  not  to  overlook.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  one  period 
with  another  ;  and  not  only  interesting  but  highly  useful  ;  for 
by  such  means  we  are  enabled  to  discern  what  progress  has 
been  made  —  upward  or  downward.  We  need  no  Shakspeare  or 
Hogarth  to  demonstrate  that  "  Progress "  may  be  pictorially 
represented.  The  intelligent  reader  will  not  be  at  a  loss  to 
perceive  our  purpose  in  the  character  and  arrangement  of  the 
engravings.  Most  of  the  subjects  have  at  least  been  alluded  to 
in  the  foregoing  pages  ;  and  each  cut  will  be  accompanied  by 
such  remarks  or  catch-lines  as  may  seem  necessary  for  a  full 
understanding. 


This  graphic  little  illustra- 
tion was  in  fact  drawn  for  the 
first  meeting-house  in  Boston  ; 
but  it  can  hardly  fail  to  answer 
as  well  for  the  first  in  Lynn  — 
that  in  which  the  venerated 
Whiting  so  long  ministered, 
and  that,  too,  in  which  the 
stirring  voice  of  Cobbet  so 
frequently  resounded.  The  fiery  Hugh  Peters,  also,  though 
minister  of  the  church  in  the  neighboring  settlement  of  Salem, 
no  doubt  often  appeared  within  those  unadorned  walls,  and  by 
his  rugged  eloquence  and  undaunted  zeal  in  confronting  every 
approach  of  tyranny  towards  these  shores,  did  much  to  inflame 

(311) 


THE    FIRST    MEETING-HOUSE 


312 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


the  patriotism  of  the  little  flock  of  toilers  who  gathered  there  ; 
little  dreaming  that  that  generation  would  not  pass  away  ere  his 
own  severed  head  would  be  mounted  on  London  bridge  as  a 
ghastly  warning  to  all  who  dared  to  labor  for  the  subordination 
of  regal  claims  to  human  rights.  We  do  not  know  the  precise 
date  at  which  this  humble  house  was  reared.  The  first  minister, 
Rev.  Stephen  Bachelor,  came  in  1632  ;  but  meetings  had  been 
somewhere  held  before  his  arrival.  The  forlorn  little  struc- 
ture stood  in  a  hollow,  on  the  east  side  of  Shepard  street,  near 
the  present  Summer  street  crossing  ;  and  for  protection  against 
the  wintry  blasts  was  placed  partly  under  ground.  Even  dwel- 
lings were  at  first  sometimes  so  placed,  for  the  same  reason. 

The  famous  edifice  so  long  known  by  the  expressive  though 
rather  inelegant  sobriquet  of  "Old  Tunnel,"  succeeded  this 
primitive  structure.  It  stood  on  the  latitudinal  centre  of  the 
bleak,  unfenced  Common,  about  opposite  the  entrance  of  the 
present  Whiting  street,  and  its  graceful  proportions  are  here 
faithfully  delineated. 


OLD  TUNNEL   MEETING-HOUSE.      1682  — TS27. 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


31. 


The  Old  Tunnel  was  built  in  1682,  and  within  its  walls  the 
ardent,  almost  ferocious  patriot,  Shepard,  ministered  for  nearly 
forty  years.  There,  too.  Henchman,  Treadwell,  Parsons,  Thacher, 
Hurd,  and  Rockwood,  exercised  their  gifts.  About  it  the  military 
were  wont  to  assemble,  and  the  effect  of  the  unrestrained  flow 
of  "  strong  water,"  at  the  booths  erected  against  the  very  walls, 
was  apparent  in  bloody  noses  and  torn  garments.  After  the 
removal  of  the  house,  the  unique  belfry  was  transformed  into  a 
cozy  little  shoemakers'  shop,  and  remained  a  picturesque  object, 
near  High  Rock,  till  destroyed  by  fire,  on  the  25th  of  March,  1849. 

In  1837,  the  house  of  worship  shown  in  the  following  engrav- 
ing, was  erected  on  South  Common  street,  corner  of  Vine. 


FIRST    PARISH    MEETINr,-H  )Ubi:.       1837 —  1S70. 


314  Pictorial   Addenda. 

This  was  the  house  in  which  the  redoubtable  Dr.  Parsons 
Cooke  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  exercised  his  high-keyed 
elocution  in  fervid  warning  to  his  own  flock,  and  his  keen 
power  of  vituperation  in  illustrating  the  blemishes  in  other  Chris- 
tian bodies.  It  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  evening 
of  Christmas  day,  1870.  The  site  was  soon  occupied  by  the 
much  more  stately  brick  edifice  which  is  now  the  spiritual 
anchorage  of  this  ancient  parish.  And  all  will  agree  that  if  the 
spiritual  growth  of  this  our  elder  worshiping  body  has  been 
commensurate  with  the  architectural  progress,  its  heavenward 
advancement  has  not  been  inconsiderable. 

The  foregoing,  in  connection  with  the  others  referred  to,  are 
sufficient  to  give  a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  improvement  in  eccle- 
siastical architecture  here.  There  are  now  several  very  fine 
and  costly  churches  in  Lynn  —  St.  Stephen's  Memorial  Church, 
a  picture  of  which  may  be  found  on  a  leaf  preceding  the  title- 
page  being  the  most  costly  and  in  its  features  and  appoint- 
ments, perhaps  the  most  perfect  and  beautiful.  It  was  erected 
by  the  late  Enoch  Redington  Mudge  at  an  expense  of  about 
$250,000.  By  turning  to  page  260  the  reader  will  find  a  view 
of  old  St.  Stephen's,  the  first  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  ever 
built  here. 

Methodism  took  root  in  Lynn  at  an  early  period  of  its  propa- 
gation, and  has  continued  to  flourish,  in  what  appears  to  be  a 
genial  soil.  The  first  service  was  held  by  Rev.  Jesse  Lee,  in 
December,  1790.  It  was  commenced  in  the  house  of  Joseph 
Johnson,  which  stood  on  the  north-east  side  of  Market  street,  a 
few  rods  from  Essex,  but  for  lack  of  room  was  adjourned  to  a 
neighboring  barn.  This  Johnson  house  was  the  same  that  many 
of  our  elder  people  will  remember  as  that  in  which  "  Old  Gates," 
as  he  was  called,  had  his  law  office  for  some  time,  and  in  which 
Hilton  and  Newcomb  subsequently  kept  their  furniture  store. 

The  first  Methodist  society  was  organized  in  February,  1791  — 
about  two  months  after  Mr.  Lee's  coming  ;  and  in  about  four 
months  after  the  organization,  they  erected  a  house  of  worship, 
which  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  of  the  order  in  Massachu- 
setts. This  was  succeeded,  in  18 13,  by  the  one  which  now 
makes  a  part  of  Lee  Hall  building,  on  Park  square.  The  fine 
brick  structure  on  the  other  side  of  the  same  square,  is  the  So- 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


315 


ciety's  present  place  of  worship.     The  "  Cradle  of  Methodism," 
as  the  old  Johnson  house  has  been  called,  is  here  depicted. 


OLD    JOHNSON    HOUSE,     MARKET    STREET,    LYNN. 

The  "Cradle  of  Methodism." 


The  buildings  erected  in  Lynn,  for  municipal  uses,  till  within 
a  few  years,  were  of  a  character  almost  deserving  the  epithet 
bestowed  by  some  of  our  amiable  neighbors  —  shabby.  But  we 
have  now  some  of  the  finest  and  most  costly  in  the  state.  Our 
present  City  Hall  is  the  admiration  of  every  citizen  —  excepting, 
perhaps,  a  few  jejune  tax-payers  —  and  so  are  our  school  and 
engine  houses.  The  City  Hall  appears  on  a  page  before  the  title, 
and  here  we  place  the  old  Town  House,  as  in  blushing  contrast. 


OLD    KJWN    HoCSr.,    LYNX. 

]!uih  in  1S14 — Destroyed  by  fire  in  1864. 


3i6 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


Next  we  present  an  engraving  of  the  first  rail-road  depot  in 
Lynn  ;  and  a  poor  little  one  it  was,  as  will  be  seen.  It  was 
erected  by  the  Eastern  Rail-road  Company  as  soon  as  they  were 
ready  for  travel,  in  1838,  and  stood  on  the  north-west  side  of  the 
track,  occupying  as  much  of  the  site  of  the  present  brick  and 
iron  station,  in  Central  Square,  as  its  diminutive  proportions 
required.  Half  a  dozen  trains  or  so  of  small  cars,  not  much 
larger  than  old-fashion  stage-coaches,  and  like  them  opening 
only  at  the  sides,  passed  up  and  down  daily  ;  and  the  freight 
transportation  was  but  a  fraction  of  what  it  now  is.  After  ten 
years'  service  it  was  in  1848  succeeded  by  the  more  capacious 
and  convenient  but  hardly  more  tasteful  brick  station,  of  which 
a  picture  may  be  seen  on  page  40  ;  and  this  latter,  in  1872,  gave 
place  to  the  well-appointed  station   that  now  adorns  the  Square. 


FIRST    RAIL-KUAD    STATION    IN    LYNN. 

Central  Square,  1838. 


For  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  shoe-manufacturing  has  been  the 
leading  mechanical  industry  of  Lynn,  and  till  within  a  few  years, 
the  work  was  done  by  hand  ;  the  buildings  required  were  small 
and  very  common  in  their  appointments  ;  but  when  ponderous 
machinery  was  introduced  substantial  and  capacious  structures 
began  to  appear.  While  the  work  was  done  by  hand,  the  shoes 
were  cut  out  in  small  buildings  occupied  by  the  "  bosses,"  and 
thence  taken  by  the  "jours"  to  their  own  little  shops,  made 
up  and  returned.  These  shops  were  to  be  seen  in  all  quarters, 
for  they  rather  affected  positions  whence  the  incomings  and 
outgoings  of  neighbors  could  be  observed  ;  and  the  sprightly 
music  of  the  lapstone  and  hammer  was  well-nigh  ceaseless. 
In    the    picture    of    Market    street,    which    precedes    the    title- 


Pictorial   Addenda. 


317 


page  of  this  volume,  several  which  adorned  that  thorough- 
fare are  seen.  But  hardly  any  of  these  interesting  historical 
dots  now  remain.  The  great  brick  factories  loom  up  triumph- 
antly and  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  steam-driven  machinery  pro- 
claims invention's  conquest.  The  two  following  are  fair  speci- 
mens of  our  modern  manulactories. 


MODERN   SHOE-MANUFACTORY,  LYNN. 
Exchantje  Street  Block. 


MODERN   SHOE-MANUFACTORY,   LYNN. 
Sweetser  Building,  corner  of  Washington  and  Oxford  Streets. 


3i8 


Pictorial    Addet^da. 


Allusions  have  been  made  in  former  pages  to  the  style  of  dwel- 
lings common  in  earlier  times.  Of  course  the  taste,  means,  and 
ambition  of  individuals  had  a  controlling  influence  in  given  cases  ; 
but  yet  there  were  certain  characteristics  marking  the  ordinary 
erections.  In  some  instances  the  habitations,  of  the  poorer 
classes  especially,  were  placed  partially  under  ground,  for  shelter 
from  the  cold  ;  while  others,  more  desirous  of  the  cheering  sun- 
light, dotted  the  clearings  and  enlivened  the  acclivities  ;  but  in 
most  cases  they  were  rude  and  unadorned  ;  not  indeed  more 
elegant  than  the  one  here  represented. 


AN    EARLY    DWELLING-HuUSE. 


A  little  later  on,  we  find  the  style  of  building  adopted  by  many 
of  the  well-to-do  folk  like  that  represented  by  the  following  cut 
of  the  well-known  Rebecca  Nurse  house. 


BEBECCA   NUKSB'S  UOUSB. 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


319 


In  various  parts  of  Lynn,  now  dilapidated  specimens  of  the 
foregoing  style  are  to  be  seen,  and  many  have  disappeared  within 
the  recollection  of  the  writer.  In  our  view  of  Market  street, 
preceding  the  title-page,  one  or  two  may  be  observed.  The 
Nurse  house  is  famous  in  our  county  annals,  and  has  a  deeply 
touching  history.  Mrs.  Nurse  was  a  woman  of  many  virtues 
and  much  beloved  by  her  neighbors  ;  yet  she  fell  a  victim  to  the 
witchcraft  infatuation,  and  was  executed  for  the  supposed  crime, 
meeting  her  ignominious  death  like  a  true  Christian  heroine. 

The  gambrel-roof  house  soon  appeared,  though  it  is  hard 
to  see  what  special  recommendation  it  had.  Perhaps  it  was 
thought  picturesque  ;  and  it  was  somewhat  so,  when  amid  sur- 
roundings like  those  represented  in  the  engraving  here  given, 
which  was  drawn  from  an  ancient  house  in  Norfolk  county. 


AN    ANCIENT    GAMBREL-ROOF    HOUSE. 


A  neat  example  of  this  style  may  be  seen  on  Marion  street, 
in  the  historic  Dr.  Flagg  or  William  Gray  house.  It  was  there 
that  Dr.  Flagg,  a  learned  man  as  well  as  skillful  physician  and 
ardent  revolutionary   patriot  lived  ;  and  there,  too,  Lieutenant 


320 


Pictorial    Addenda. 


Governor  Gray,  famed  in  his  day  as  the  most  wealthy  man  in 
New  England,  was  born.  He  was  grandfather  of  Judge  Horace 
Gray,  at  present  an  associate  justice  on  the  bench  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  and  late  chief  justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Massachusetts.  Another  and  rougher  example  of  this 
style  of  building  is  the  "  Uncle  Jed "  house,  as  it  was  called 
sixty  or  seventy  years  ago  —  on  Boston  street,  corner  of  Kirt- 
land.     Our  Market  street  view  also  exhibits  a  specimen. 

As  has  been  intimated,  there  was,  in  early  times,  here  and 
there  a  residence  widely  differing  from  the  generality,  in  costli- 
ness and  elegance.  One  of  the  most  notable,  of  whatever  degree, 
in  this  vicinity,  is  the  "  old  witch  house,"  so  called,  still  stand- 
ing in  Essex  street,  Salem,  at  the  corner  of  North.  There  was, 
as  builders  say,  "  a  good  deal  of  work  in  it ;  "  a  fact  made  evident 
by  the  picture  here  given. 


OLD   WITCH   HOUSE. 


This  is  also  sometimes  called  the  Roger  Williams  house,  and 
has  an  uncommonly  interesting  history,  having  been  the  resi- 
dence, as  early  as  1636,  of  the  persecuted  divine  just  named  — 
Roger  Williams  —  who  for  his  invading  religious  opinions  and 
progressive  political  principles  was  compelled,  during  the  dark 
days  of  winter,  to  flee  for  rest  to  the  savage  but  yet  more 
hospitable  Narragansett  country,  beyond  the  colonial  jurisdiction, 
where  he  founded  the  plantation  that  finally  became  the  state 
of  Rhode  Island.  The  name  "  witch  house,"  arose  from  the 
circumstance  that  beneath  its  roof  some  of  the  witchcraft  exam- 
inations, in  1692,  are  alleged  to  have  taken  place. 

But  it  is  not  expedient  to  travel  much  into  places  beyond  our 
own  borders  for  illustrative  examples. 


Pictorial   Addenda. 


321 


For  a  period  reaching  back  far  beyond  the  time  to  which  any 
man's  memory  extends,  the  cheap,  unadorned  cottage,  or  plain, 
one-story  dwelHng,  has  been  common  in  Lynn,  with  those  of 
limited  means.  And  since  that  poor  man's  godsend,  the  street 
rail-road,  has  been  extended  to  the  out-lying  neighborhoods,  such 
have  sprung  up  in  increased  numbers.  It  is  a  grand  thing  for  a 
man  to  own  his  home,  be  it  ever  so  humble.  It  makes  him  a 
better  citizen  —  more  fixed  in  his  habits,  more  contented,  and 
more  ambitious  to  maintain  a  creditable  position.  An  example 
of  this  kind  of  habitation  may  be  seen  on  page  166.  But  Lynn 
has  homes  of  all  grades,  and  is  not  deficient  in  the  sumptuous 
class  concomitant  to  wealth  and  gentility. 


ELMWOOD. 

Country  Residence  of  the  late  Hon.  E.  R.  Mudge. 

The  above  is  a  picture  of  the  beautiful  summer  home  of  the 
late  eminent  merchant  and  highly  respected  citizen,  Hon.  E.  R. 
Mudge,  and  that  in  which  he  died,  with  such  startling  suddenness, 
on  the  first  day  of  October,  1881.     There  are  residences  in  Lynn 

21 


322  Pictorial   Addenda. 

of  probably  greater  cost,  but  none,  it  is  believed,  that  indicate 
more  refined  taste  or  are  more  attractive  in  surroundings. 
But  our  illustrated  "  annex"  must  not  exceed  due  limits. 

The  rapidity  with  which  the  vacant  territory  of  Lynn  is  being 
occupied,  warns  us  that  few  years  will  elapse  before  most  of  the 
beauty  and  romance  of  her  surroundings  will  be  extinguished. 
There  are  competent  artists  among  us  who  would  be  glad  to 
apply  their  skill  to  the  preservation  of  scenes  which  to  us  of  this 
day  are  sources  of  so  much  enjoyment,  and  which  by  those  of 
future  generations  would  be  viewed  with  ten-fold  delight.  But 
artists,  as  a  rule,  are  not  overburdened  with  this  world's  goods, 
and  are  seldom  able  to  labor  without  the  cheering  hope  of  some 
pecuniary  reward.  And  it  may  well  be  lamented  that  so  few 
of  those  who  would  fain  be  reckoned  among  the  wealthy  and 
cultured  have  little  taste  for  rich  adornments  of  the  character 
here  alluded  to,  or  any  thought  of  employing  a  small  amount 
of  their  substance  for  the  gratification  of  those  who  in  future 
years  may  occupy  this  goodly  heritage. 

On  the  three  following  leaves  are  re-produced  —  for  they  appear 
in  our  1865  edition  —  illustrations  which  preserve  at  least  a 
glimpse  of  what  has  been.  They  are  from  faithful  sketches 
made  for  the  writer,  in  1864. 

"Forest  Place"  has  already  been  shorn  of  its  most  attractive 
features  —  groves  and  shady  walks  have  disappeared,  and  high- 
ways and  by-ways,  with  ambitious  habitations,  intruded.  See 
page  33.  And  even  the  Point  of  Pines  —  recognizable  by  the 
house  and  flag-staff  in  the  distance  —  has  yielded  to  the  march 
of  improvement,  and  become  an  alluring  resort.     See  page  244. 

"  Lynnmere"  retains  many  of  her  old-time  charms  ;  and  when 
shorn  of  her  natural  beauties  her  interesting  history  will  survive. 

The  view  represented  by  the  other  picture,  and  our  last,  has 
undergone  but  comparatively  little  change.  The  point  from 
which  it  was  taken  being  a  sort  of  rocky  fastness  has  withstood 
the  invading  march  of  the  destroyer.  But  the  vacant  lands 
in  front  are  already  penetrated  by  streets  ;  house-lots  are  staked 
out  and  dwellings  appearing.  The  rear  lands,  however,  remain 
almost  unchanged  ;  and  old  ocean  still  perfects  the  view  —  old 
ocean,  ever  changing,  ever  grand,  in  sunshine  and  in  storm. 


SUPPLEMENT. 


ANNALS. 
1882. 

The  winter  of  1881  and  '82  was  rather  remarkable  for  the 
quantity  of  snow,  and  the  long  time  the  earth  remained  cov- 
ered. A  storm  began  on  the  afternoon  of  January  31,  during 
which  some  eighteen  inches  fell.  And  on  the  next  Sunday, 
Feb.  5,  a  snow  storm  occurred  that  was  not  for  many  years 
before  exceeded  in  violence.  The  drifts  in  some  places  were 
for  a  time  insurmountable ;  and  services  at  several  of  the 
principal  churches  were  omitted. 

On  the  night  of  Feb.  15,  a  building  on  Munroe  street, 
owned  by  Charles  G.  Clark,  together  with  one  or  two  others, 
was  burned,  causing  a  loss  of  some  $20,000. 

The  Grand  Army  Coliseum,  on  Summer  street,  was  dedi- 
cated March  15,  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  Its  seating 
capacity  is  much  greater  than  any  other  place  of  assembly 
hitherto  erected  here. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  March,  just  before  the  time 
for  w^orkmen  to  assemble,  a  terrific  steam  boiler  explosion 
took  place  in  the  rear  of  the  Goodwin  last  factory,  in  Spring 
street.  The  engineer  was  killed,  and  several  others  badly 
wounded.  One  or  two  adjacent  buildings  were  much  damaged,, 
and  a  piece  of  the  boiler,  weighing  about  1,500  pounds,  was 
thrown  two  hundred  feet  up  into  the  air,  and  fell  in  Newhall 
street,  seven  hundred  feet  distant. 

A  fire  occurred  on  the  morning  of  April  22,  at  Houghton, 
Godfrey  &  Dean's  paper  warehouse.  Central  avenue,  de- 
stroying property  to  the  amount  of  $3,000. 

Electric  lights  made  their  appearance  here,  in  the  spring. 

At  midnight,  May  12,  according  to  the  weather  reports,  the 
thermometer,  in  L3mn  and  vicinity,  reached  a  lower  degree 
than  in  any  other  part  of  the  United  States  ;  yet  it  was  not  so 
low  as  to  be  particularly  noticeable. 

Memorial  Day,  May  30,  was  observed  as  usual ;  address 
by  Comrade  James  M.  Tanner,  of  Brooklyn,  N.Y. 

(329)  Sup.  I. 


330  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1882. 

Glen  Lewis  was  consecrated,  May  30. 

Barnum's  "  greatest  show  on  earth"  visited  Lynn,  July  22. 
Some  half  a  score  of  elephants  appeared  in  the  street  parade. 
The  giant  elephant  Jumbo  and  the  nursing  baby  elephant 
were  both  members  of  the  caravan.  Some  25,000  persons 
attended  the  exhibition,  and  the  amount  of  money  received 
for  admission  reached  nearly  $11,000.  The  show  consisted 
of  a  large  collecton  of  animals,  equestrian,  acrobatic,  and 
other  circus  and  semi-dramatic  performances.  It  was,  no 
doubt,  the  grandest  and  most  costly  show  ever  in  Lynn. 

An  explosion  of  a  part  of  the  underground  equipment  of 
the  Citizens'  Steam  Heating  Company,  at  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Munroe  streets,  took  place,  July  27,  injuring  the 
street  somewhat,  and  throwing  up  stones  and  gravel  to  the 
danger  and  fright  of  persons  in  the  vicinity.  And  subse- 
quently other  explosions  took  place  inducing  an  appeal  to  the 
city  authorities  for  protection. 

Nickerson's  oil-clothing  factory,  in  Swampscott,  was  burned 
August  4.  Miss  Emma  Stone,  employed  in  the  establishment, 
lost  her  life,  and  the  loss  of  property  amounted  to  about 
$9,000. 

An  extraordinary  drought  prevailed  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  summer.  Most  of  the  crops  about  Lynn  were  abso- 
lutely ruined,  the  unripe  fruit  dropped  from  the  trees,  and 
much  of  the  shrubbery  and  many  of  the  trees  had  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  exposed  to  fire  blasts.  Yet  the  springs 
and  wells  did  not  indicate  any  very  marked  deficiency  of 
moisture  somewhat  below  the  surface.  We  had  an  uncom- 
monly long  succession  of  very  warm  days,  with  westerly 
winds  and  clear  skies.  And  the  peculiar  effect  on  vegetation 
was,  no  doubt,  attributable  rather  to  the  burning  sun  than  the 
lack  of  moisture.  The  spring  was  backward  by  full  two 
weeks,  and  the  weather  was  on  the  whole  anomalous,  most 
of  the  year. 

The  Ocean  House,  in  Swampscott,  a  summer  hotel  of  con- 
siderable note,  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  evening  of  Sep- 
tember 6.  It  was  a  large  wooden  building,  six  stories  in 
front  and  five  in  the  rear.     The  loss  was  about  $65,000. 

In  October,  the  fare  to  or  from  Boston  was  reduced  to  five 
cents  on  all  the  trains  of  the  Narrow-gauge  Rail-road,  and 
on  a  part  of  those  of  the  Eastern. 

Mayor  Lovering  was,  on  the  7th  of  November,  elected  a 
member  of  the  U.S.  Congress  —  the  second  L3'nn  man  ever 
chosen  for  that  honorable  position. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1883. 


331 


The  morning  sky  for  several  weeks  in  October  and  November 
was  adorned  by  a  splendid  comet  which  rose  two  or  three  hours 
before  the  sun,  in  the  south-east.  Avery  good  representation 
of  it,  as  seen  from  High  Rock,  is  here  given.  The  steeple  of 
the  Central  Church,  in  Silsbee  street,  is  seen  on  the  right  of  the 
picture,  and  Phillips's  Point,  Swampscott,  on  the  left  Astrono- 
mers had  wonderful  stories  to  tell  of  this  comet  —  its  incon- 
ceivable speed  and  partial  disruption  as  if  by  some  collision. 


Comet  of  1882. 

18  83. 
^  Electric  works  established  in  Lynn.  They  rapidly  developed 
into  a  very  large  business,  the  factory  buildings  occupying  a 
good  part  of  Centre  and  Federal  streets.  Lynn  capitalists 
invested  largely.  A  visible  impulse  was  soon  felt  in  real  estate 
movements,  and  all  the  westerly  part  of  the  city,  even  to  the 
woody  highlands,  was  presently  booming,  to  use  a  current 
expression  of  the  time.  The  company  was  chartered  in  Connec- 
ticut, but  soon  became  practically  a  Lynn  enterprise,  the  plant 
being  brought  hither.  Professor  Elihu  Thomson,  an  experi- 
enced electrician,  was  prominent  in  the  business,  and  by  perse- 
vering studies  concerning  the  nature  and  application  of  electricity 
was  able  to  add  much  to  the  substantial  character  and  success 
of  the  business.  Something  more  will  be  said  of  these  works, 
in  the  proper  place,  further  on. 

The  Sweetser  building,  corner  of  Central  avenue  and  Oxford 
street,  was  burned  Jan.  26.     Loss,  $81,000. 


332  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1884. 

The  Lynn  Hospital,  incorporated  in  1880,  was  opened  for  the 
reception  of  patients,  March  12.  Facts  concerning  this  benefi- 
cent institution  appear  elsewhere  in  these  pages. 

Col.  Gardiner  Tufts  publishes,  in  the  Lynn  Transcript,  during 
this  year,  a  series  of  articles  on  the  "  Old  Choirs  of  Lynn,"  em- 
bodying many  interesting  facts  concerning  the  history  of  music 
here,  anecdotes  of  early  musicians,  and  well-timed  suggestions. 

Fales  Henry  Newhall,  D.  D.,  a  minister  of  the  Methodist 
denomination,  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  scholarship,  died 
at  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane  at  Worcester,  April  6.  He  was 
born  in  Saugus,  June  19,  1827,  graduated  at  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, with  the  1846  class,  soon  prepared  for  the  ministry,  and 
held  prominent  appointments,  till  overtaken  by  mental  disorder 
from  which  he  never  entirely  recovered. 

The  semi-centennial  anniversary  of  the  First  Universalist 
Society  was  celebrated  in  the  Nahant  street  church,  April  29. 
A  free  banquet  was  served  on  the  following  evening. 

The  street  railway  to  Peabody  was  opened  for  travel.  May  15. 

Died  in  Lynn,  May  17,  Mrs.  Lydia  E.  Pinkham,  aged  64. 
She  was  known  throughout  the  country  and  to  some  extent 
throughout  the  civilized  world,  as  proprietor  of  a  popular  patent 
medicine.  Her  portrait  adorned  numerous  publications  in  con- 
nection with  advertisements  of  her  specific.  She  was  a  woman 
of  intelligence  and  excellent  character. 

May  30.  The  Memorial  Day  address,  delivered  in  the  Coli- 
seum, was  by  George  H.  Patch,  of  Framingham. 

The  Soldiers'  Monument,  Swampscott,  was  dedicated  June  16. 

The  Boscobel,  probably  the  best  appointed  hotel  ever  estab- 
lished in  Lynn  up  to  this  time,  was  opened  in  October.  It  was 
a  part  of  the  fine  brick  structure  near  the  west  end  of  the  Com- 
mon, known  as  the  Arcade.  But  it  was  not  successful  in  the 
intended  line,  and  in  four  or  five  years  ceased  to  rank  as  a  hotel. 
The  name  was  from  Shakspeare. 

1884. 

John  W.  Skinner,  for  many  years  prominent  in  musical  circles, 
died  very  suddenly,  Jan.  4,  aged  73.  He  rendered  efficient 
service  in  church  choirs,  before  the  introduction  of  organs,  by 
skill  on  the  double-bass  viol,  trombone  and  other  instruments. 

A  Grand  Army  fair  closed,  March  19.    29,550  tickets  were  sold. 

Theophilus  N.  Breed  died  March  21,  aged  j8.  He  was  for 
many  years  an  active  business  man,  chiefly  in  the  line  of  hard 
ware  and  shoemakers'  tools.  He  was  perseveringly  inclined  to 
making  "improvements,"  sometimes  much  to  his  pecuniary 
detriment.  His  name  will  long  survive  in  the  picturesque  and 
useful  lakelet  known  as  Breed's  Pond,  which  he  formed  by 
building  a  dam  across  the  valley  at  Oak  street. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1885.  333 

The  annual  session  of  the  New  England  Methodist  Confer- 
ence began  in  the  First  Methodist  Church,  April  2. 

A  Lasters'  fair  closed  March  25.     30,272  tickets  were  sold. 

Miss  Maria  Monds  died  at  the  Home  for  Aged  Women, 
April  4,  aged  81.  She  was  a  native  of  London,  Eng.,  but 
came  to  Lynn  in  1836,  and  was  the  first  teacher  on  the  piano 
here,  was  an  accomplished  organist  and  at  different  times  did 
duty  in  two  or  three  of  our  churches.  She  also  taught  draw- 
ing and  painting,  and  on  the  whole  did  much  to  advance  those 
fine  arts  in  Lynn.  At  the  time  she  came  there  were  but  three 
pianos  in  the  town. 

John  B.  Tolman  gives  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, in  trust,  an  estate  on  Market  street,  valued  at  $30,000, 
the  income  to  be  expended  for  the  suppression  of  the  sale  of 
intoxicating  liquors.     The  trust  was  accepted,  April  26. 

May  30,  Memorial  Day.  The  address  was  by  W.A.Simmons. 

The  new  organization  known  as  the  Salvation  Army 
appeared  in  our  streets,  June  4,  marching  to  the  music  of  tam- 
bourines and  other  instruments.  This  new  order  of  religious  en- 
thusiasts, zealous  as  they  were,  made  but  few  converts  in  Lynn. 

Lightning  struck  in  Chatham  street,  June  5,  killing  a  lad 
of  12  years,  named  John  Tyler,  and  considerably  injuring 
two  of  his  companions. 

The  city  was  divided  into  voting  precincts  in  June. 

The  street  railway  to  Marblehead  was  opened  June  25. 

Government  commenced  dredging  Lynn  harbor  this  summer. 

Died,  Oct,  23,  at  the  great  age  of  99  years,  Francis  Johnson, 
a  native  of  Ireland,  but  for  many  years  a  resident  of  Lynn. 

Home  for  Inebriates,  New  Ocean  street,  established,  Oct.  27. 

The  ladies  open  a  grand  fair  for  the  benefit  of  Lynn  Hospital, 
Dec.  2. 

1885. 

James  M.  Sargent  died,  Jan.  5.  He  was  born  in  Haverhill, 
Jan.  20,  1 8 10,  and  came  to  Lynn  in  1829.  Here  he  soon  ac- 
quired a  knowledge  of  shoemaking  and  for  many  years  was  a 
member  of  the  craft.  He  held  various  offices  of  public  trust 
and  in  all  of  them  acquitted  himself  with  marked  fidelity.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  First  Universalist  Society,  from  its  founda- 
tion, in  1833  ;  was  elected  clerk  at  the  time  of  the  organization, 
and  for  more  than  fifty  years,  till  the  time  of  his  death,  continued 
in  the  office. 

The  Lynn  National  Bank  was  organized  this  year. 

Several  destructive  fires  occurred  in  the  early  part  of  this  year. 
Jan.  II,  by  a  fire  in  Henry  A.  Pevear's  building,  Washington 
street,  there  was  a  loss  amounting  to  $3,337.     By  the  burning  of 


334  ANNALS    OK    LYNX 1885. 

Liician  Newhall's  wooden  building,  on  Central  avenue,  Feb.  17, 
there  was  a  loss  of  $56,600.  By  a  fire  in  C.  B.  Tebbetts's  brick 
building  on  Willow  street,  Feb.  17,  the  loss  was  $3,760. 

March  20.     Lynn  Associated  Charities  organized. 

Rev,  Dr.  Pullman,  as  minister  of  the  First  Universalist  Church, 
occupied  the  pulpit  for  the  first  time,  April  12. 

Col.  Carroll  D.  Wright  delivered  the  Memorial  Day  Address. 

Trinity  (Methodist)  Church,  Tower  Hill,  dedicated  June  4. 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  (Episcopal)  formally  organized,  June 
9.     St.  Joseph's  (Roman  Catholic)  Church  consecrated,  June  21. 

Church  bells  tolled,  July  23,  in  observance  of  the  death  of 
President  Grant,  and  a  special  meeting  of  the  City  Council  was 
held,  at  which  resolutions  of  respect  were  passed.  On  the  8th 
of  August  commemorative  services  were  held  in  the  Coliseum, 
business  being  generally  suspended  and  insignia  of  mourning 
displayed  in  many  places. 

Hon.  John  Batchelder  died,  Aug.  6,  aged  80.  He  was  born 
in  Topsfield,  but  came  to  Lynn  when  about  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  and  took  the  position  of  teacher  of  the  fifth  ward  gram- 
mar school,  which  position  he  held  till  1854.  He  was  then 
elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  by  re-elections  remained  in 
that  body  for  two  other  terms.  He  also  held  positions  in  our 
municipal  government,  and  in  every  place  performed  the  duties 
with  promptness  and  fidelity.  In  1857  he  was  again  in  harness 
as  a  teacher;  but  in  1869  he  bade  a  final  adieu  to  the  profession, 
being  then  appointed  postmaster.  The  latter  office  he  held  till 
1877.  The  incipient  moulding  of  many  a  worthy  character  may 
justly  be  attributed  to  him. 

Died  in  London,  Eng.,  Aug  17,  Minot  Tirrell,  aged  55.  He 
was  for  many  years  a  well-known  resident  of  Lynn,  though  not 
a  native.  To  his  enterprise  and  wealth  the  westerly  section 
of  the  town  especially  was  greatly  indebted  for  substantial  im- 
provements. The  first  building  of  the  electric  works,  the  Bos- 
cobel,  the  Mildred  Range,  and  a  large  number  of  other  structures 
are  examples  of  his  liberal  expenditure  and  enterprise.  Indeed 
he  gave  an  impetus  to  the  business  of  our  western  section,  that 
cannot  fail  to  be  long  felt.  He  studied  law  and  was  admitted 
as  a  regular  practitioner,  but  did  not  entirely  or  for  any  long 
time  apply  himself  to  the  duties  of  a  profession  that  was  not 
probably  congenial.  He  had  generous  and  kindly  traits,  and 
considerable  literary  taste,  but  unfortunately  possessed  a  temper 
that  was  at  times  almost  uncontrollable,  a  circumstance  that 
detracted  from  his  social  popularity.  His  remains  were  em- 
balmed and  reached  Lynn,  Sept.  8. 

The  large  brick  building,  owned  by  Lucius  Beebe  and  Son, 
Western  avenue,  corner  of  Federal  street,  occupied  as  a  glove-kid 
and  morocco  factory,  was  burned  Sept.  3.     Loss,  $75»500. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1886.  335 

Corner  stone  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  laid,  Sept.  25, 
Bishop  Paddock  dehvering  an  appropriate  address. 

A  heavy  thunder  storm,  Oct.  3,  flooded  several  business  places 
in  and  near  Munroe  street,  and  delayed  railroad  trains. 

Lynn  Shoe  and  Leather  Association  organized,  Oct.  9. 

Horse  car  line  through  Washington  street  opened,  Nov.  30. 

1  8  8  G  . 

Died  in  Lynnfield,  Jan.  17,  Rev.  Jacob  Hood,  aged  94.  He 
was  a  school  teacher  in  early  life,  of  a  thoughtful,  serious  turn 
of  mind  and  always  much  respected.  He  belonged  to  the  old 
Hood  family  of  Lynn  and  Nahant. 

Benjamin  A.  Ward,  a  well-known  citizen,  was,  on  the  night 
of  Feb.  I,  attacked  by  three  highwaymen,  who  severely  assaulted 
him  and  robbed  him  of  eighty  dollars  and  a  gold  watch.  He 
was  on  his  way  home  from  his  office  in  Central  square,  and  the 
attack  was  made  on  Chestnut  street.  One  of  the  robbers,  named 
Timmins,  was  soon  arrested,  and  in  due  course  of  law  sentenced 
to  the  state  prison  for  fifteen  years,  where,  in  about  two  years,  he 
died.  The  two  others  were  convicted  in  New  York  of  prior 
offences  and  sent  to  Sing-Sing  prison,  each  for  fifteen  years. 

An  unusual  overflow  of  the  water  courses  took  place  in  and 
about  Lynn  during  February,  caused  by  the  falling  of  abundant 
rains  on  the  frozen  ground.  Meadows  were  changed  to  lakes 
and  in  some  localities  basements  were  abandoned  and  boats  called 
into  use.  The  Sluice  pond  gate  was  opened,  February  13,  to 
save  the  dam. 

The  Lynn  Daily  Item  and  the  Daily  Bee,  newspapers  that 
had  before  been  published  at  one  cent  per  copy,  raised  the  price 
to  two  cents,  March  i. 

Mechanics'  Exchange  formally  opened,  April  i. 

Grand  Army  building,  Andrew  street,  dedicated,  April  21. 

St.  Stephen's  chimes  rang  for  the  first  time,  April  25,  Easter 
day.     This  was  the  first  set  of  bells  Lynn  ever  had. 

Hon.  Josiah  C.  Bennett  gives  to  the  Lynn  Hospital  the  entire 
amount  of  his  year's  salary  as  Senator  —  $652. 

Rev.  George  A.  Crawford  delivered  the  Memorial  Day  address, 
in  the  Coliseum,  May  31. 

There  was  a  rowing  regatta  in  Lynn  harbor,  June  19. 

Lynn  contributed  $2,060  for  relief  of  the  sufferers  by  the 
destructive  earthquake  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  Aug.  31.  And  St. 
Stephen's  Church  sent  a  separate  donation  of  ^'j'j  towards  repair- 
ing the  shattered  tower  of  the  venerable  St.  Michael's. 

On  the  25th  of  September  Capt.  Martin  V.  B.  Stone  of  Swamp- 
scott  received  an  ovation  in  consideration  of  his  triumph  in  the 
race  for  the  America's  prize  cup  between  the  yacht  Mayflower 
under  his  command,   and    the    English   yacht    Galatea,   under 


33^  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1887. 

command  of  Lieut.  Henn.  A  gold  watch,  bearing  an  engraved 
representation  of  the  yacht,  was  presented. 

Nov.  22,  the  da}'^  on  which  ex-President  Arthur  was  buried, 
marks  of  respect  were  shown  in  Lynn  by  the  closing  of  public 
offices,  raising  flags  at  half-mast,  and  the  execution  of  a  dirge 
on  St.  Stephen's  bells. 

The  religious  Society  of  the  New  Jerusalem  (Swedenborgian) 
was  formed  this  year.  The  French  Catholic  Church  was  also 
organized. 

1887. 

On  Thursday  evening,  Jan.  13,  Washington  Irving  Bishop 
gave  an  exhibition  of  his  power  of  "  mind  reading,"  in  Music 
Hall,  to  an  intelligent  though  rather  small  audience.  A  some- 
what pretentious  circular  had  heralded  his  coming,  giving  ac- 
counts of  his  marvelous  success  before  sovereigns  and  nobles 
in  Europe.  But  it  did  not  appear  that  his  feats  were  more 
astonishing  than  those  of  some  others  of  humbler  pretension 
who  had  from  time  to  time  appeared  here  as  illustrators  of 
*'  mental  science." 

A  successful  fair  was  held  by  Post  5  of  the  Grand  Army, 
commencing  Feb.  15.     The  net  proceeds  amounted  to  $8,623.48. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  President  Cleveland  sent  to  the  U. 
S.  Senate  a  message  vetoing  the  bill  passed  by  Congress  appro- 
priating $ico,ooo  for  the  erection  of  a  public  building  in  Lynn, 
chiefly  for  postofifice  accommodation.  The  President's  reasons 
were  generally  viewed  with  candor  though  considerable  disap- 
pointment was  felt. 

On  the  28th  of  Feb.  the  enthusiastic  revivalist,  "  Sam  Small," 
commenced  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  First  Methodist  Church. 
They  were  well  attended,  and  closed  March  6.  Honest  seekers 
after  good,  and  others  from  idle  curiosity  were  there. 

Henry  A.  Breed,  a  well-known  citizen,  died  April  15,  aged  86. 
He  was  a  descendant  from  the  early  Lynn  settler,  Allen  Breed, 
and  a  son  of  Thomas  A.  Breed,  for  many  years  onward  from 
18 1 3,  landlord  of  Lynn  Hotel,  which,  under  his  management, 
attained  an  enviable  reputation.  Henry  A.  commenced  his 
active  business  life  about  18 19,  did  a  great  deal  in  the  building 
line,  and  was  zealous  in  forwarding  improvements  of  almost 
every  kind.  Being  of  a  sanguine  and  somewhat  credulous  turn, 
and  withal  attracted  by  projects  of  a  speculative  character,  he  had 
serious  business  ups  and  downs  ;  the  finality  being  of  the  latter 
sort.  But  he  always  maintained  the  respect  and  good-will  of  his 
fellow  citizens  by  his  genial  manners,  readiness  to  aid  the  unfor- 
tunate, and  other  good  qualities.  His  business  prostrations 
were  undoubtedly  sometimes  attributable  to  over-confidence  in 
his  own  ability  to  "  read  "  those  with  whom  he  dealt ;   but  more 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1887.  337 

often  in  the  ability  of  those  others,  not  half  as  honest  as  he,  to 
"  read  "  him.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Second  Con- 
gregational (Unitarian)  Society,  and  was  a  devoted  member  till 
his  death.  He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  Mount  Carmel 
Lodge  of  Freemasons,  and  likewise  an  accredited  member  of  the 
fraternity  of  Odd  Fellows. 

The  Memorial  Day  address  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Henry  E. 
Mott,  of  Newburyport,  May  30. 

Hon.  James  N.  Buffum  died  June  12.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  marked  character  among  us  ;  bright,  busy,  of  positive 
opinions,  readiness  of  expression,  great  perseverance  and  withal 
of  kindly  sympathies  and  benevolent  instincts.  He  was  born  in 
North  Berwick,  Me.,  May  i6,  1807,  and  was  what  is  usually  called 
a  self-made  man.  And  it  would  be  doing  violence  to  the  general 
sentiment  of  the  community  to  intimate  that  he  was  not  well 
made.  He  married,  April  20,  1831,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  John 
Lummus,  and  by  her  had  three  daughters,  two  of  whom  survive 
him.  He  was  twice  Mayor —  1869  and  1872  ;  and  likewise 
served  a  term  in  the  Legislature. 

The  Robert  E.  Lee  Camp  of  Confederate  Veterans,  of  Rich- 
mond,Va.,  visited  Post  5  of  the  Grand  Army,  Lynn,  June  18.  A 
banquet  was  held  in  a  capacious  tent  on  the  Common,  and  the 
most  fraternal  feeling  was  manifested  among  those  who  had 
met  as  antagonists  on  the  battle  field.  It  was  an  occasion  of 
much  more  than  ordinary  interest.  Col.  Allen  G.  Shepherd 
acted  as  Chief  Marshal.  A  delegation  of  Post  5,  160  in  number, 
left  Lynn,  July  i,  on  a  return  visit  to  the  Confederate  Veterans, 
and  after  an  absence  of  eight  days  reached  home,  on  the  whole 
well  pleased  with  their  excursion. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  the  old  mill  on  Saugus  river,  at  the  Boston 
street  crossing,  was  burned.  This  was  a  famdus  mill,  for  gene- 
rations, and  did  faithful  service  as  a  grist,  snuff,  and  spice  mill. 
More  especially  did  its  product  in  the  shape  of  Childs's  chocolate 
become  an  admired  article  the  world  over. 

On  the  3d  of  August  the  Mayors  of  several  Massachusetts  cities 
visited  Lynn  by  invitation  of  Mayor  Hart.  The  Mayors  of  Bos- 
ton, Brockton,  Chelsea,  Fitchburg,  Gloucester,  Haverhill,  Law- 
rence, Lowell,  Newburyport,  Northampton,  Somerville,  Waltham 
and  Worcester  came.  The  conclusion  of  the  day's  entertainment 
was  a  drive  to  Nahant,  and  a  banquet  at  the  Bass  Point   House. 

Died,  Aug.  7,  at  his  home  in  Summer  street,  Hon.  Edward  S. 
Davis,  aged  79.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  and  a  descendant 
of  Rev.  Stephen  Bachelor,  the  first  minister.  There  was  a 
marked  difference  between  Mr.  Buffum,  just  spoken  of,  and  Mr. 
Davis,  the  one  being  bold,  aggressive  and  sometimes  even  defi- 
ant ;  while  the  other  was  quiet  and  unassuming,  possessing 
indeed  those  amiable  characteristics  that  are  often  mistaken  for 

Sup.  2. 


338  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1888. 

timidity.  But  each  had  the  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens  in  a 
large  degree,  and  each  in  his  own  sphere  did  much  that  was  highly- 
appreciated.  Mr.  Davis  had  a  discriminating  literary  taste  and 
accumulated  a  large  library.  He  was  considerably  in  public 
life  ;  was  four  years  President  of  the  Common  Council,  and  two 
years  Mayor.  He  likewise  for  a  term  represented  the  town  in 
the  Legislature.  In  religious  sentiment  he  was  long  and  firmly 
attached  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  probably  did  more  than 
any  other  to  plant  the  Church  in  the  once  rather  uncongenial 
soil  of  Lynn.  The  resolutions  of  respect  passed  by  the  various 
bodies,  literary,  benevolent  and  religious,  with  which  he  was 
connected,  fully  attested  to  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held. 
Mr.  Davis  was  happy  in  his  domestic  relations.  On  the  26th 
of  March,  1835,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elvira,  daughter 
of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Newhall,  and  she  survives  him.  They  had 
no  children. 

The  newly-established  "  Labor  Day  "  was  first  celebrated  here, 
September  5. 

By  a  fire  on  Lamper's  wharf,  Sept.  1 1,  nineteen  horses  perished. 

A  notable  ceremony  took  place  in  St.  Mary's  (Roman  Catho- 
lic) Church,  Oct.  18,  namely,  the  investment  of  Rev.  Patrick 
Strain  with  the  title  and  insignia  of  Monsignor.  He  had  been 
a  faithful  and  laborious  minister  of  the  Church  here,  for  nearly 
forty  years,  having  commenced  in  January,  185 1.  His  labors 
had  been  wonderfully  successful  and  well  deserving  the  honor 
conferred.  An  approved  writer,  in  giving  an  account  of  the 
ceremony,  said  :  "  At  the  present  time,  in  the  very  townships 
where  Mgr.  Strain  labored  for  years  without  a  coadjutor  ten  hard 
worked  priests  administer  to  the  wants  of  the  faithful.  And 
now  this  priest  of  65  autumns  and  37  years  of  relentless  struggle, 
begins  to  reap  the  golden  harvest  of  his  arduous  labors.  He  is 
made  a  Permanent  Rector,  by  order  of  the  late  Council  of  Balti- 
more, with  the  approbation  of  his  venerable  Archbishop.  Again 
we  find  him  raised  to  the  dignity  of  Missionary  Apostolic  of  the 
Holy  See,  and  to-day  he  has  received  officially  the  purple  of  a 
Roman  prelate  with  the  title  of  Very  Reverend  Monsignor,  the 
first  resident  priest  of  New  England  thus  honored." 

The  French  Catholic  Church  —  St.  Jean  Baptiste  —  on  Frank- 
lin street,  was  consecrated  Dec.  4.     The  edifice  cost  ;^26,500. 

1888. 

The  Camera  Club  was  formed  early  this  year.  They  soon 
began  to  exhibit  marked  progress  in  the  fascinating  art  of  pho- 
tography, and  their  exhibitions  were  largely  attended  by  highly 
gratified  audiences. 

The  factory  of  Thomas  Green  and  Company,  Summer  street, 
was  burned  May  15.     Loss,  $21,000. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN lOOO.  339 

Died,  in  East  Walpole,  Mass.,  May  22,  Rev.  Edwin  Thompson, 
aged  78.  He  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  and  well-known,  from  early 
life,  as  an  ardent  advocate  of  temperance  and  an  inflexible  oppo- 
nent of  slavery.  He  was  intelligent,  affable  in  manners,  candid 
in  discussion,  and  impressed  every  one  with  a  conviction  of  his 
entire  sincerity.  His  parents  belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends, 
but  he  swerved  from  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  and  most  efficient  workers  in  the  foundation  of  the  First 
Universalist  Church,  and  became  a  minister  of  the  order.  His 
zealous  advocacy  of  reformatory  principles  led  to  association 
with  many  of  the  leading  philanthropists  of  the  time,  and  the 
expressions  of  deep  regard  from  such  men  as  Wendell  Phillips 
and  the  poet  Whittier,  were  sufficiently  indicative  of  the  high 
place  he  held  in  the  respect  of  the  community. 

Gen.  Devens  was  orator  on  Memorial  Day.  572  soldiers' 
graves  were  decorated. 

John  T.  Moulton  and  Isaac  O.  Guild,  two  well-known  citizens, 
erected  this  year,  in  the  old  burying  ground,  a  stone  to  mark  the 
grave  of  "  Moll  Pitcher,"  the  renowned  fortune  teller.  She  died 
in  181 3,  and  her  grave  had  remained  unmarked  and  almost 
unknown  for  seventy-five  years.  They  ascertained  the  burial 
spot  by  one  who  was  present  at  her  funeral. 

The  Lynn  Belt  Line  Street  Railway  Company  was  organized 
August  22. 

The  new  armory  of  the  military  companies  I  and  D,  on 
Franklin  street,  was  informally  opened,  on  the  evening  of  Aug. 
24.     The  grand  dedication  ball  took  place  Oct.  26. 

The  Lynn  Theatre,  Summer  street,  was  opened  Sept.  6,  with 
the  play  "  Lights  of  London." 

The  Highland  Circuit  Street  Railway  was  opened  Sept  4. 
Electricity  was  applied  as  propelling  power,  Nov.  19. 

George  Hussey  Chase  died  at  his  residence,  Newhall  street, 
Sept.  5,  aged  62.  His  natural  abilities  were  above  the  average, 
and  receiving  a  good  education  his  mind  became  rapidly  stored 
with  varied  and  available  information.  He  became  an  accom- 
plished public  speaker,  and  his  stirring  addresses  were  replete 
with  good  common  sense  and  well-rounded  periods.  Indeed 
he  was  for  many  years  known  as  "  the  orator  of  Lynn."  By 
President  Lincoln  he  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  held  the 
office  eight  years.  For  years  he  was  a  participant  in  the  man- 
agement of  our  municipal  affairs  ;  was  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture ;  and  in  1880  was  appointed  deputy  collector  of  customs,  in 
which  position  he  remained  till  his  death.  In  social  life  he  was 
attractive  ;  and  in  his  latter  years,  having  visited  other  lands, 
was  able  to  give  descriptions  that  were  keenly  relished  by  those 
who  had  an  opportunity  to  listen  to  his  graphic  details  and 
shrewd  deductions. 


340  ANNALS    OF    LYNN  — 

St.  Luke's  (Methodist)  Church  was  dedicated  October  28. 

Hon.  WilHam  F.  Johnson  died  at  Nahant,  Nov,  24.  He 
was  born  on  Nahant,  then  a  part  of  Lynn,  July  30,  1819,  and 
was  a  son  of  the  peninsular  patriarch,  Caleb  Johnson,  who 
was  also  born  there  and  lived  to  about  the  age  of  ninety. 
The  early  education  of  Mr.  Johnson  was  somewhat  limited, 
so  far  as  book  instruction  was  concerned,  but  his  quick  appre- 
hension and  taste  for  reading,  his  penetrating  examination 
of  current  subjects,  and  patient  inquiry  into  the  wherefore  of 
things,  soon  placed  him  among  the  most  intelligent.  For  the 
wear  and  tear  of  mercantile  life  he  soon  seemed  to  discover 
that  he  was  not  well  adapted,  and  hence,  as  soon  as  circum- 
stances permitted,  accepted  more  quiet  and  congenial  employ- 
ment. For  many  years  he  was  Secretary  of  the  Lynn  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  during  his  official  period  that 
institution  lost  nothing  of  its  high  reputation.  But  his  daily 
duties  at  the  desk  did  not  prevent  his  cordial  participation  in 
the  benevolent,  reformatory  and  social  movements  of  the  day. 
The  Hospital  and  the  Home  for  Aged  Women,  especially, 
had  his  sympathy,  his  labors,  and  his  contributions.  In  munici- 
pal affairs  Mr.  Johnson  bore  a  conspicuous  part  for  man}" 
years,  always  doing  faithful  service.  He  held  the  office  of 
Mayor  in  1858,  fulhlling  the  duties  with  credit  and  ability. 
He  was  genial  in  manners,  a  faithful  friend  and  the  enemy 
of  none  ;  and  one  of  the  attractive  few  who  are  welcome 
every  where.  In  religious  affiliation  he  was  for  some  time  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  connection,  but  in  middle  life  became 
a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  remained  steadfast  in 
that  communion  to  the  end  of  his  life.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  was  a  warden  of  St.  Stephen's,  and  on  the  organization 
of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  was  elected  to  the  same 
office  in  that  body.  He  did  much  to  promote  the  growth  of 
his  beloved  church  in  Lynn.  Mr.  Johnson  was  thrice  mar- 
ried, and  left  a  widow  and  four  children.  His  funeral  took 
place  on  the  afternoon  of  Nov.  27,  from  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation. 

Lennox's  brick  factory.  Market  street,  with  other  buildings, 
was  burned,  Dec.  22.     Loss,  $136,000. 

J.  W.  Lewis  &  Co.  of  Philadelphia,  publish  their  History 
of  Essex  County,  2129  pages,  large  quarto.  The  Lynn 
chapters  occupy  127  pages.  The  first  volume  contains  some 
thirty  fine  portraits  of  business  and  professional  citizens,  ac- 
companied by  biographical  sketches. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889.  34I 

1889. 

John  W.  Berry  was  appointed  Judge  of  Lynn  Police  Court, 
Jan.  23,  succeeding  RoUin  E.  Harmon  who  had  resigned  to 
take  the  office  of  Judge  of  Probate  for  Essex  County. 

Philip  Pitts,  a  police  officer  of  Saugus,  died  in  Lynn  Hos- 
pital, Jan.  26.  He  was  on  duty  in  Cliftondale  on  the  night  of 
Jan.  23,  when  he  was  shot  by  a  burglar,  the  wound  proving 
fatal. 

On  the  evening  of  Jan.  30,  the  planing  mill  near  the  south- 
erly end  of  Commercial  street  was  burned,  with  one  or  two 
smaller  buildings.      Loss  about  $25,000. 

Josiah  F.  Kimball  died  in  Boston,  Feb.  3,  aged  68.  He 
was  a  native  of  Ipswich,  but  came  to  Lynn  in  early  life  and 
learned  the  printing  business  in  the  Freeman  office,  which 
business  he  followed  many  years,  as  printer,  publisher,  and 
editor.  Few  men  were  better  known  or  more  highly  respected. 
He  was  careful  that  any  paper  issued  by  him  should  be  what 
is  known  as  a  "clean  paper"  —  free  from  sensationalism, 
unkind  personalities  or  erroneous  statements  of  any  kind. 
His  literary  taste  was  far  above  mediocrity,  and  he  wrote 
many  poems,  largely  of  a  humorous  character,  that  were 
widely  circulated  and  deservedly  praised.  He  held  various 
public  offices ;  served  in  the  Legislature ;  and  for  several 
years  held  a  position  in  the  Boston  Custom  House.  He  was 
nurtured  in  the  old  New  England  orthodox  faith,  but  in  man- 
hood became  a  devoted  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
His  funeral  took  place  from  St.  Stephen's,  which  had  long 
been  his  spiritual  home.  His  first  wife  was  a  daughter  of 
County  Treasurer  Wade  ;  and  his  second,  who  survived  him, 
was  a  lady  from  Portsmouth,  N.H.     He  had  no  issue. 

The  Light  Infantry  and  Wooldredge  Guards  left  Lynn  for 
Washington,  March  2,  to  take  part  in  the  ceremonies  of  the 
inauguration  of  President  Harrison,  and  returned,  March  7,  much 
pleased  by  their  trip  and  reception. 

Died  in  Tyson,  Vt.,  March  2,  Lewis  Josselyn,  aged  '^t^.  Mr. 
Josselyn  was  a  prominent  figure  in  Lynn  for  a  number  of  years. 
Editors  are  usually  conspicuous  members  of  the  community  ; 
especially  such  editors  as  Mr.  Josselyn  —  so  alert,  so  ubiquitous. 
He  was  editor,  proprietor  and  publisher  of  the  "  Lynn  Bay 
State,"  a  large  and  handsome  weekly  sheet,  of  pronounced  Dem- 
ocratic principles.  He  was  a  vigorous  writer  and  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  the  editorial  fraternity  of  New  England. 
Few  persons  connected  with  the  newspaper  press  had  a  more 
just  conception  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  an  editor  ; 
and  the  spirit  of  fairness  that  characterised  the  trenchant  ema- 


342  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889. 

nations  from  his  pen  was  worthy  of  imitation.  He  made  an 
attempt,  in  connection  with  his  son,  to  estabHsh  a  daily  "  Bay 
State,"  but  the  golden  day  evidently  had  not  arrived  when 
every  town,  village  and  hamlet  could  rejoice  in  its  daily  service 
of  news  from  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  seasoned,  in  too  many 
instances,  with  neighborhood  gossip  and  social  scandal  —  and  so 
the  attempt  was  given  over.  Mr.  Josselyn  was  a  native  of  Pem- 
broke, Plymouth  county.  During  his  career  he  held  various  offi- 
ces ;  was  at  one  time  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
held  positions  in  the  Boston  and  Salem  Custom  Houses.  He  was 
what  was  known  as  a  war  democrat  during  the  civil  war,  and 
fought  vigorously  with  pen  and  tongue  in  the  Union  cause.  The 
most  daring  partisan  did  not  venture  to  call  him  a  "copper  head." 

Hon.  Edwin  Walden  died,  March  12,  aged  70,  He  was  born 
here  and  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Ward  6,  of  which 
Ward  he  was  a  native.  For  many  years  he  was  connected 
with  the  shoe  business  ;  but  in  mature  life  was  more  especially 
known  for  his  excellent  management  in  public  affairs.  Though 
at  times  exhibiting  strong  party  feeling,  he  always  acted  from 
settled  principle  and  w^ell-considered  convictions.  One  so 
qualified,  with  such  utilitarian  views  and  forecast,  could  not 
fail  of  being  closely  identified  with  public  affairs.  In  munici- 
pal matters,  after  serving  in  both  branches  of  the  Council,  he 
found  himself,  in  1870,  in  the  Mayor's  chair,  where  he  re- 
mained for  two  terms,  doing  the  duties  fearlessly  and  wdth 
the  unfeigned  applause  of  the  most  considerate  and  unpreju- 
diced. But  perhaps  he  was  best  known  by  his  persevering 
and  judicious  labors  as  one  of  the  moving  spirits  in  the  at- 
tainment of  our  now  generous  supply  of  pure  water.  The 
series  of  plans  which  have  so  favorably  resulted  are  in  a  large 
degree  attributable  to  his  foresight,  sagacity  and  perseverance. 
And  it  seems  most  fitting  that  the  last-formed  and  most  beau- 
tiful lakelet  —  Walden  pond — should  bear  his  name.  He 
served  in  several  State  offices,  with  increasing  reputation  for 
devotion  to  duty  and  for  promptness  and  vigor  of  action  ;  was 
a  Representative  and  a  Senator,  and  a  commissioner  in  two  or 
three  important  State  projects.  As  President  of  the  Boston, 
Rev^'ere  Beach  and  Lynn  Railroad,  his  services  were  apparent 
in  the  unvarying  success  of  the  corporation,  notwithstanding 
the  grave  doubts  and  surmises  that  attended  its  inauguration. 
Mrs.  Walden  and  five  children  survived  the  husband  and 
father. 

General  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  delivered  the  Memorial 
Day  address.  May  30. 

Lynn  contributed  something  rising  $5,000  for  the  sufferers 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889.  343 

by  the  terrible  disaster  at  Johnstown,  Pa. ,  that  occurred  May  3 1 , 
by  the  breaking  of  the  dam  of  the  great  reservoir  450  feet 
above  the  town  and  some  12  miles  distant,  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  valley.  The  dam  held  a  body  of  water  covering  750 
acres  and  of  an  average  depth  of  30  feet.  From  4,000  to 
5,000  lives  appear  to  have  been  lost,  and  2, 500  houses  destroyed. 
Estimates  as  to  the  loss  of  lives  however,  varied,  some  plac- 
ing the  number  higher  than  5,000.  The  place  was  substan- 
tially destroyed. 

Died  in  Lynn,  June  28,  Maria  Mitchell,  for  many  years 
professor  of  astronomy  in  Vassar  College,  aged  70.  She 
was  known  throughout  the  scientific  world  for  her  attainments, 
especially  in  astronomy.  She  was  a  native  of  Nantucket, 
and  inherited  from  her  father  a  love  for  scientific  pursuits  and 
power  of  application. 

A  sudden  tempest  arose  about  noon,  July  23d,  with  vivid 
lightning  and  heavy  thunder.  Damage  was  done  in  some 
parts  of  the  city  by  the  heavy  rainfall,  and  the  lightning 
struck  in  several  places.  One  of  the  electric  cars  was  stopped 
by  the  melting  of  a  wire. 

The  annual  parade  of  the  Essex  Count}^  Odd  Fellows  took 
place  in  Lynn,  Sept.  24.  The  weather  wasfine,  and  about  1,200 
members  marched  in  line.     Many  buildings  were  decorated. 

A  notable  military  parade  took  place  in  Lynn,  Oct.  3d. 
The  Fifth,  Eighth  and  Ninth  Regiments  of  Infantry,  the  First 
and  Second  Battalions  of  Artillery,  the  Second  Battalion  of 
Cavalry,  Signal  and  Ambulance  Corps,  appeared  and  made 
an  extended  march  through  a  number  of  our  principal  streets 
with  several  bands  of  music.  The  day  was  beautiful,  and 
there  was  a  large  gathering  of  spectators.  A  barricade  was 
thrown  across  Market  street,  near  Liberty,  and  a  feigned  mob 
assembled  to  intercept  the  march  of  the  troops.  Four  lines 
of  skirmishers  approached  the  barricade,  and  a  gatling  gun 
being  brought  to  bear,  the  mob  dispersed  and  the  victors, 
clearing  away  the  debris,  marched  on  triumphantly.  Evi- 
dently General  Peach,  the  commander  of  the  victorious  forces, 
had  a  good  conception  of  the  manner  in  which  a  mob  should 
be  met. 

The  Walnut  and  Washington  streets  electric  line  of  cars 
from  the  Myrtle  street  stable  to  Central  square  was  opened 
October  3. 

The  U.S.  General  Convention  of  Universalists  was  held  in 
Lynn,  Oct.  22,  and  continued  four  days.  More  than  a  thou- 
sand delegates  and  friends  attended. 


344  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889. 

American  flags  were  raised  on  several  of  the  public  school 
buildings  during  November  —  on  the  Burrill,  Nov.  4;  on  the 
Ingalls,  Nov.  9;  on  the  Shepard,  Nov.  12.  On  the  15th, 
Post  5  of  the  Grand  Army  presented  a  flag  to  the  Classical 
High  School.  By  such  means  it  was  thought  the  youth 
would  be  more  thoroughly  imbued  with  patriotic  sentiments. 

At  the  State  election,  Nov.  5,  our  citizens  for  the  first  time 
had  an  opportunity  to  vote  under  what  has  been  called  the 
Australian  system,  a  system  which  seems  substantially  to  have 
been  evolved  by  the  genius  of  the  Australians,  and  which 
enables  the  voter  to  ballot  with  the  utmost  privacy.  It  had 
marked  success  and  was  highly  praised  for  its  convenience, 
its  secrecy,  and  its  avoidance  of  confusion  and  excitement  at 
the  polls.  To  Elihu  B.  Hayes,  a  Lynn  Representative  in  the 
Legislature,  much  of  the  honor  of  introducing  the  system 
was  attributed  ;  indeed  he  was  called  by  his  fellow  legislators 
the  father  of  the  system  in  Massachusetts. 

James  R.  Newhall  was  tendered  a  reception,  at  the  City 
Hall,  on  Christmas,  that  being  the  day  on  which  he  completed 
his  four  score  years.     The  Mayor  presided. 

A  somewhat  singular  disease,  under  the  French  name 
la  griff  e,  prevailed  here,  and  indeed  over  nearly  the  whole 
world,  during  the  latter  part  of  the  year.  It  seemed  to  oper- 
ate differently  in  different  constitutions.  In  some  cases  there 
was  a  loss  of  appetite,  and  a  tired,  languid  feeling.  In  other 
cases  it  suddenly  seized  with  severe  pains  in  the  head  or  back, 
with  slight  nausea.  Very  few  escaped  its  attack  in  some  way 
and  to  some  extent.  In  many  instances  it  proved  to  be  the  pre- 
cursor of  other  diseases  and  not  unfrequently  terminated  fatally. 

The  Great  Fire.  The  greatest  calamity  that  ever  over- 
took Lynn  in  her  whole  history  occurred  on  the  26th  of  No- 
vember, of  this  year,  1889  ;  that  is,  so  far  as  loss  of  property 
was  involved,  though  she  was  singularly  fortunate  in  escaping 
loss  of  life  or  serious  personal  injury.  We  allude  to  what 
will  hereafter  be  known  as  the  Great  Fire. 

It  was  about  noon,  of  a  sunny  day,  that  the  fire  broke 
out  in  the  large  wooden  building  on  Almont  street  known 
as  Mower's  block.  There  was  a  pretty  high  wind,  and  in 
an  exceedingly  short  space  of  time  several  of  the  adjacent 
buildings  were  in  flames.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  our 
own  fire  department,  single  handed,  would  be  powerless  to  con- 
trol the  conflagration  ;  and  therefore  telegraphic  despatches, 
asking  aid,  were  hastily  forwarded  to  Boston,  Chelsea,  Salem, 
Gloucester,   Newburyport,  and   a   number    of  other   places. 


Central  S(^)1'akk,  Lynn — Bcfoir  f/n- great  Fire'  of  Xcn^.  26,  1889. 
[Every  building  represented  in  the  cut  was  destroyed.] 


Mount  Vernon  Street,  Lynn  —  Before  the  great  Fire  of  A\n\  26,  1889. 
[The  entire  length  of  this  fine  street  was  burned.] 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889. 


345 


The  despatches  were  responded  to  with  the  utmost  alacrity, 
and  the  assistance  thus  promptly  rendered  added  much  to  the 
ardor  of  our  own  firemen,  as  well  as  in  itself  being  of  great 
value.  Within  an  hour  or  two  several  of  the  finest  four  or 
five-story  brick  business  buildings  were  destroyed,  together 
with  many  of  inferior  kind  ;  and  still  the  flames  raged.  Four 
banks,  namely,  the  First  National,  the  Central  National,  the 
National  Security,  and  the  Lynn  Institution  for  Savings,  were 
soon  out  of  doors  ;  so  likewise  were  the  three  daily  news- 
papers—  the  Bee,  the  Item,  and  the  Press. 

The  area  of  ground  burned  over,  including  streets  and 
squares,  was  thirty-one  acres,  and  it  was  in  the  most  central 
business  part  of  the  city.  The  total  loss,  according  to  the 
Chief  Engineer's  report,  was  $4,959,989.08,  though  the  State 
Commissioner's  report  made  the  loss  about  $2,000  less.  The 
insurance  was  stated  at  $4,133,516.67. 

During  the  fire  very  commendable  order  was  maintained, 
for  the  authorities,  as  a  safeguard,  promptly  called  out  the 
military  companies  I  and  D  of  Lynn,  and  to  these  was  added 
company  H  of  Salem.  A  squad  of  twenty-five  of  the  Bos- 
ton police  also  appeared  for  duty. 

The  number  of  buildings  destroyed  was  334,  some  of  them 
massive  brick  business  structures,  some  wooden  factories  and 
some  wooden  dwellings.  The  various  streets  suffered  in  the 
loss  of  buildings  as  follows  : 


Almont  street 11 

Amity  street 16 

Beach  street 48 

Broad  street 58 

Central  square 17 

Exchange  street 24 

Farrar  street 11 

Mt.  Vernon  street 4 


Munroe  street     ......  4 

Sagamore  street 25 

Silsbee  street 6 

Spring  street 18 

Suffolk  street 18 

Suffolk  street  place  ....  8 

Union  street 45 

Washington  street    ....  21 


Our  active  and  efficient  Mayor,  Hon.  Asa  T.  Newhall,  was 
unwearied  in  his  endeavors  to  mitigate  the  sufferings  of  those 
most  severely  affected  personally  by  the  calamity  ;  and  all 
others  of  his  official  coadjutors  worked  with  a  will  for  the 
common  good.  The  result  was  that  immediate  wants  were 
speedily  supplied. 

There  was  a  good  supply  of  water,  but  it  appeared  that 
some  of  the  transmission  pipes  were  not  sufficiently  large  for 
such  an  unforeseen  emergency ;  a  fact  that  gave  rise  to  the 
apprehension  that  there  was  a  deficiency.  Some  of  the  suf- 
fering business  men  were  on  the  alert  even  while  the  confla- 
gration was  pursuing  its  fiery  course,  to  secure  new  quarters. 


346  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1889. 

that  their  business  might  be  as  little  interrupted  as  possible. 
And  it  was  wonderful  with  what  composure  they  met  the 
disaster  and  with  what  energy  they  set  about  repairing  their 
damaged  fortunes.  Some  even  claimed  that  the  fire  would 
prove  of  positive  benefit,  by  sweeping  away  a  number  of 
dangerous  old  wooden  structures  whose  places  would  soon 
be  occupied  by  those  of  modern  style,  safer  and  more  con- 
venient. 

After  the  fire,  from  various  causes,  chiefly,  perhaps  because 
land  was  cheaper,  some  manufacturers  began  to  plan  for 
locating  in  sections  more  remote  from  Central  square  ;  in  East 
and  West  Lynn,  especially,  railroad  facilities  being  far  better 
than  they  were  at  the  time  when  business  began  to  centre 
about  the  square. 

Lynn  always  contributed  liberally  to  relieve  the  suffer- 
ings of  others  by  fire  or  flood  —  the  fire  at  Marblehead  and 
the  flood  at  Johnstown,  for  instance.  And  when  the  great 
calamity  overtook  her,  she  in  her  turn  received  the  sympathy 
and  contributions  of  others.  The  bread  that  she  had  cast 
upon  the  waters,  when  she  had  it  to  spare,  floated  back  in 
her  time  of  need. 

Lynn  Woods.  By  referring  to  date  1881  of  the  Annals 
something  may  be  found  regarding  the  incipient  movements 
in  the  laudable  enterprise  of  forming  a  Free  Public  Park, 
embracing  as  many  acres  as  possible  of  the  romantic  and 
eminently  appropriate  territory  that  lies  along  our  northern 
border.  The  shady  glens,  rocky  heights,  towering  trees, 
wild  shrubbery,  vagrant  streams  and  tranquil  ponds,  all  con- 
spire by  their  varied  charms  and  historic  connections  to  ren- 
der it  most  fitting  for  such  a  purpose.  By  a  legislative  act  of 
1882,  cities  and  towns  are  enabled  to  take  lands  for  public 
parks  ;  and  under  that  act  Lynn  has  proceeded  to  appoint 
Park  Commissioners  and  do  such  other  things  as  are  neces- 
sary to  carry  out  what  is  evidently  the  ardent  desire  of  the 
citizens  —  to  possess  a  public  ground  that  shall  be  w^orthy  of 
the  opportunity  now  presented,  and  enduring  evidence  of  the 
taste,  liberality  and  discriminating  forethought  of  the  people 
of  this  our  day.  Four  beautiful  ponds  add  their  charms  to 
the  grounds,  already  secured,  namely.  Breed's,  Birch,  Wal- 
den  and  Glen  Lewis.  These  measure  in  the  aggregate  three 
hundred  and  twelve  acres.  It  is  easy  to  see  of  what  inesti- 
mable value  the  Park  will  be  to  future  generations  by  keeping 
the  great  water-shed  from  which  our  supply  comes  free  from 
contaminations  that  necessarily  appertain  to  dense  settlements. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O. 


347 


The  names  of  the  first  Board  of  Park  Commissioners  are : 
Philip  A.  Chase,  (Chairman)  ;  Aaron  F.  Smith,  C.  H.  Pink- 
ham,  Frank  W.  Jones,  Benjamin  F.  Spinney. 

Many  of  our  people,  it  is  probable,  do  not  fully  realize  the 
value  of  our  ponds  for  sanitary  purposes  as  well  as  for  pictur- 
esque beaut}^  Nor  is  it  probable  that  a  just  conception  of 
their  number  and  extent  is  usually  entertained.  The  princi- 
pal ones,  covering  five  hundred  and  nine  acres  and  a  half, 
are  as  follows  : 


Birch  pond, 84  acres. 

Breed's  pond,    ....  64       " 

Cedar  pond, 43       " 

Flax  pond, 75       " 

Floating  Bridge  pond,   17       " 
Glen  Lewis  pond,     .   .  36       " 


Gold  Fish  pond. 
Holder's  pond, 
Lily  pond,  .    .    . 
Sluice  pond,  .    . 
Walden  pond,  . 


I   1-2  acres. 


7 

4 

50 

1 28 


There  assuredly  is  a  growing  desire  in  the  community  for 
the  preservation  of  natural  scener}' ;  and  already  associations 
have  been  formed  in  various  places  with  a  laudable  purpose 
of  giving  intelligent  direction  to  that  desire.  Lynn  may  well 
feel  that  in  her  Woods  she  is  not  only  protecting  and  preserv- 
ing most  superb  natural  scenery,  but  is  at  the  same  time  ad- 
ding to  her  sanitary  safeguards,  and  preparing  a  delightful 
field  for  the  healthful  enjoyment  of  old  and  young,  rich  and 
poor. 

1890. 

The  members  of  the  Lynn  bar  gave  a  banquet  to  James  R. 
Newhall,  Jan.  2,  he  having  completed,  on  the  previous  Christ- 
mas day,  his  four  score  years,  and  being  the  oldest  member 
of  the  bar,  by  years. 

Zachariah  Graves  died  Jan.  15,  aged  70.  He  had  been  a 
member  of  the  Common  Council,  a  County  Commissioner  for 
nine  years,  and  twice  a  Representative  in  the  State  Legisla- 
ture.     He  was  always  trustworthy  and  conscientious. 

January  17,  the  Lvnn  printers,  as  usual,  celebrated  the  an- 
niversary of  Franklin's  birth  by  a  banquet,  gustatory  and 
intellectual. 

The  new  building  of  the  Camera  Club  was  dedicated  Jan.  23. 

On  Jan.  27  an  explosion  and  consequent  fire  took  place  in 
a  cement  factory,  on  Summer  street,  causing  damage  to  the 
amount  of  $3,000. 

The  modest  little  Primitive  Methodist  chapel,  on  Flint  street, 
was  dedicated  Feb.  2. 

Died,  Feb.   10,   Oliver  Ramsdell,   aged  74.      He  was  an 


348  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O. 

active  and  useful  citizen  residing  in  Glenmere,  in  which  pre- 
cinct he  was  born  ;  was  a  prominent  Methodist  and  did  much 
for  the  society  in  his  neighborhood  ;  was  a  good  deal  in  pub- 
lic life  especially  in  the  early  days  of  Lynn  under  the  City 
Charter,  during  which  time  his  good  judgment  and  efficient 
action  availed  much.  He  was  a  member  of  the  first  two 
Common  Councils. 

About  the  middle  of  February  the  tides  ran  very  high,  in- 
somuch that  parts  of  old  Beach  street  were  submerged. 

The  first  meeting  in  viev/  of  the  establishment  of  a  home 
for  aged  men  was  held,  March  13. 

A  dead  whale,  about  60  feet  in  length,  was  cast  upon  the 
shore  near  Sliding  Rock,  April  26.  And  the  next  day  another, 
somewhat  larger,  was  cast  upon  the  S  wampscott  shore.  They 
soon  began  to  emit  offensive  odors,  and  were  speedily  removed 
to  a  rendering  establishment.  Multitudes  gathered  for  a  look 
at  the  huge  denizens  of  the  deep. 

The  value  of  new  buildings  erected  in  Lynn  during  the 
year  ending  May  i  was  $1,078,975. 

A  supposed  Indian  skeleton  was  exhumed  at  Atlantic  Ter- 
race, May  23. 

May  30,  Memorial  Day.  The  weather  was  fine  and  the 
military  parade  quite  imposing.  Other  appropriate  exercises 
took  place  during  the  day  and  evening.  Hon.  Myron  P. 
Walker  was  orator. 

While  Myron  Smith,  of  Lynn,  was  driving  on  the  Peabody 
road,  June  11,  during  a  heavy  shower  his  horse  was  struck 
by  lightning  and  instantly  killed. 

The  first  complete  circuit  by  a  Belt  Line  car  was  made  on 
the  evening  of  July  3.  A  number  of  city  officials  and  busi- 
ness men  were  by  invitation  passengers. 

Independence  Day  was  celebrated  with  rather  more  than 
usual  "  pomp  and  circumstance."  There  was  a  long  proces- 
sion, with  city  officials,  various  societies  in  regalia  and  a  fine 
military  escort.  But  perhaps  the  most  striking  feature  was 
the  tradesmen's  display,  so  full  was  it  of  the  insignia  of  the 
various  crafts. 

The  price  of  ice,  which  has  now  become  a  necessity  rather 
than  a  luxury,  was  this  summer  much  higher  than  usual ;  at- 
tributable, no  doubt  to  the  fact  that  the  mild  weather  of  the 
preceding  winter  produced  a  much  smaller  crop  than  usual. 

A  reception  was  given  to  the  new  rector  of  St.  Stephen's 
Church,  Rev.  James  H.  Van  Buren,  July  14. 

About  five  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  July  25,  a  short  but 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O.  349 

violent  cyclone  visited  a  limited  tract  in  and  near  Robinson 
street.  An  unfinished  dwelling  house  into  which  a  number 
of  school  children  had  rushed  for  shelter  was  demolished  and 
a  girl,  aged  13,  killed. 

A  rattlesnake  four  and  a  half  feet  in  length  was  killed  on 
Lynnfield  street,  July  31,  thus  indicating  that  those  reptiles, 
so  much  dreaded  by  our  ancestors,  are  not  yet  exterminated. 

Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Aug.  2,  a 
fire  commenced  on  the  premises  occupied  by  G.  F.  Bartol  & 
Co.,  and  others,  on  Munroe  street,  and  destroyed  property  to 
the  amount  of  some  $11,000.  An  explosion  of  gas  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  cause.  James  E.  Tarbox,  assistant 
engineer,  lost  his  life  by  suffocation. 

On  the  1 2th  of  August  there  was  a  great  parade  in  Boston 
of  "  Boys  in  Blue,"  G.A.R.  veterans  of  the  civil  w^ar.  Some 
40,000  marched  in  line.  The  veterans  from  Lynn  were  con- 
spicuous by  their  number,  and  roundly  applauded  for  their 
excellent  discipline.  After  their  return  home  they  elicited 
much  praise  and  many  thanks  for  their  hospitality  to  visiting 
troops.  Post  5  kept  "  open  house,"  entertaining  visitors  from 
Washington,  D.C.,  Virginia,  Philadelphia,  Albany  and  Mis- 
souri. 

A  great  strike  of  morocco  w^orkers  in  August. 

Died,  Aug.  20,  Darius  Barry  aged  77.  He  was  a  native 
of  Haverhill,  but  came  to  Lynn  in  1837.  He  was  a  morocco 
manufacturer,  and  did  considerable  business.  Several  of  the 
larger  manufacturers  in  the  line,  of  later  years,  began  service 
under  him.  He  was  a  man  of  great  independence  of  thought 
and  freedom  of  expression,  read  much  and  well  digested  what 
he  read.  He  had  a  poetic  vein  and  occasionally  contributed 
verses  that  did  not  fail  to  attract  attention.  And  he  had  an 
abundance  of  mother  wit,  which  sometimes  exhibited  itself 
in  stinging  sarcasm.  He  had,  too,  a  wholesome  contempt  for 
those  whose  selfishness  infringed  on  the  rights  of  others.  And 
this  trait  w^as  curioush^  illustrated  in  a  relation  that  found  its 
way  into  the  newspapers  some  years  since,  though  I  believe 
another  name  was  in  some  instances  substituted  for  his.  It 
was  of  this  tenor,  though  not  always  given  exactly  in  these 
words  :  He  entered  a  railroad  car  in  Boston  to  take  passage 
for  Lynn.  The  car  was  quite  full.  But  on  one  seat  sat  a 
man  with  a  valise  by  his  side,  which  Mr.  Barry  proceeded  to 
remove  preparatory  to  sitting  down  in  its  place.  "  But,"  said 
the  man,  "  that  seat  is  already  taken  ;  the  valise  was  left  there 
by  a  gentleman  who  just  stepped  out,  but  will  be  back  before 


350  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O. 

we  start."  "Very  well,"  said  Mr.  B.  whose  suspicions  were 
awake,  "  I  will  take  the  seat  and  give  it  up  when  the  claim- 
ant comes  ;  and  I  will  take  good  care  of  the  valise,  too,  in 
the  mean  time."  The  train  moved  from  the  station  and  the 
gentleman  did  not  return.  "  What  a  pity,"  said  Mr.  B.,  when 
they  were  well  on  the  way,  "  that  the  gentleman  lost  his  pas- 
sage ;  but  he  shall  not  lose  his  valise,  for  I  will  see  that  it  is 
put  into  safe  custody  so  that  he  can  recover  it."  "  You  need 
take  no  trouble,"  said  the  other,  "  I  know  the  man  and  will 
take  charge  of  it."  "  My  dear  sir,"  replied  Mr.  B.,  "  you 
ought  not  to  expect  that.  We  are  strangers,  and  I  do  n't  know 
what  your  purpose  is."  But  the  valise  is  mine,  let  me  tell 
you,"  vociferated  the  other,  growing  a  little  excited  ;  "  there 
is  no  other  man  to  claim  it ;  and  I  want  you  to  give  it  up 
without  further  parley."  "But,"  says  Mr.  B.,  "do  you  ex- 
pect me  to  believe  that?  You  said  it  belonged  to  some  one 
who  had  just  stepped  out  of  the  car ;  and  how  do  I  know  but 
you  want  to  purloin  it.  I  can  't  consent  to  be  a  participator, 
if  that  is  your  game."  The  result  was  that  the  valise  was 
given  in  charge  of  an  employee  to  take  back  to  Boston  for 
deposit  among  the  uncalled  for  luggage ;  and  the  poor  man, 
who  -undoubtedly  was  the  owner,  had  to  go  back  to  the  city 
to  recover  it.  Whether  Mr.  B.'s  lesson  had  any  good  effect 
on  his  future  conduct  is  not  known.  Mr.  Eugene  Barry,  son 
of  Darius,  became  a  large  and  successful  manufacturer  in 
the  line  so  long  pursued  by  his  father.  And  he,  too,  contrib- 
uted to  our  local  literature  many  choice  poems,  some  of  which 
had  a  circulation  far  beyond  our  own  bounds. 

The  new  Police  Station,  on  Sutton  street,  was  occupied  for 
the  first  time,  Aug.  26.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  about 
$43,000. 

A  supposed  Indian  grave  was  discovered  at  Mt.  Gilead,  in 
Lynn  Woods,  Aug.  29. 

Labor  Day,  Sept.  i,  was  appropriately  celebrated.  The 
weather  being  favorable,  the  procession  was  unusually  large, 
numbering  some  4,000,  composed  chiefly  of  various  trade 
organizations.  There  was  a  meeting  on  the  Common,  at 
which  stirring  speeches  were  made  in  the  interest  of  labor. 
And  a  mid-day  entertainment  was  provided  for  the  children. 

The  name  of  old  Beach  street  was  changed  to  Washington, 
Sept.  8. 

Benjamin  Sweetser,  a  native  and  life-long  resident  of  Lynn, 
aged  82,  was  killed  by  a  rail-road  train  at  the  Market  street 
crossing,  Sept.  18. 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O.  35  I 

Rev.  Samuel  B.  Stewart,  minister  of  the  Unitarian  Society, 
was  given  an  evening  reception  in  the  church  parlor,  Oct.  6, 
it  being  the  conclusion  of  the  25th  year  of  his  pastorate. 
There  was  a  large  attendance,  many  from  other  religious 
bodies  taking  the  opportunity  to  show  their  regard  for  one  so 
much  esteemed. 

There  was  a  large  gathering  in  Music  Hall  on  Sunday 
evening,  Oct.  12,  to  hear  a  discourse  on  the  position  and 
claims  of  labor  and  laboring  people,  by  National  Master 
Workman  Powderly. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  High  School  building.  High- 
land Square,  was  laid  Oct.  22,  Mayor  Asa  T.  Newhall  deliv- 
ering an  appropriate  address. 

Died,  Oct.  22,  Mrs.  Lydia  Rhodes,  widow  of  Amos  Rhodes, 
a  lady  of  culture  and  estimable  traits.  Her  benevolence  was 
strikingly  apparent  in  her  liberal  legacies  to  humane  and  ed- 
ucational institutions.  Perhaps  her  most  notable  gift  was  that 
of  $20,000  for  the  erection  of  a  chapel  in  Pine  Grove  Ceme- 
tery, to  be  called  the  Rhodes  Memorial  Chapel,  in  memory  of 
her  husband. 

On  Sunday  morning,  Oct.  26,  the  fly  wheel  of  the  Lynn 
Gas  and  Electric  Light  power  station,  Pleasant  street,  ex- 
ploded, alarming  the  neighborhood  and  doing  considerable 
damage  to  the  building  and  other  property. 

Very  high  tides  prevailed  during  the  latter  part  of  October, 
overflowing  the  marshes  and  at  times  impeding  railroad  trains. 

Died  at  the  Home  for  Aged  Couples,  Brooklyn,  N.Y., 
Rev.  Joseph  Blaney  Breed,  aged  83.  He  was  a  younger 
brother  of  Mayor  Andrews  Breed,  of  Henry  A.  Breed,  for 
many  years  one  of  the  most  enterprising  business  men  here, 
and  of  Daniel  N.  Breed,  also  long  an  active  business  man 
here,  but  an  early  emigrant  to  California.  For  a  short  time 
before  he  reached  his  majority  Joseph  Blaney  acted  as  land- 
lord of  old  Lynn  Hotel,  then  a  very  popular  house.  He  was 
in  his  early  years  a  zealous  Unitarian,  and  did  a  great  deal 
for  the  support  of  the  Lynn  Society  in  its  infancy.  But  he 
changed  his  sentiments,  and  while  still  a  young  man,  joined 
the  Baptist  denomination,  and  in  that  connection  passed  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  When  he  became  a  Baptist  he  gave 
up  all  thought  of  a  business  life  and  zealously  applied  him- 
self to  study  for  the  ministry.  In  due  time  he  was  ordained, 
and  had  settlements,  during  his  many  years  of  clerical  service, 
in  several  places.  Though  he  may  not  have  been  especially 
brilliant  in  the  pulpit,  he  was  greatly  esteemed  for  his  many 


352  ANNALS    OF    LYNN  189O. 

virtues,  his  zeal  in  every  good  cause,  for  his  genial  manners,  and 
for  his  benevolent  acts  which  were  only  limited  by  his  means. 

The  new  Loretz  steam  pumping  engine,  at  the  Walnut  street 
station,  was  ready  for  use,  Dec.  19.  Its  cost,  with  the  con- 
necting apparatus,  was  $50,000. 

The  total  loss  by  fires  in  Lynn,  during  1890,  was  $48,987.35. 

As  this  year,  1890,  completes  forty  years  since  the  adop- 
tion of  our  City  Charter,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  make 
a  few  comparisons  illustrative  of  our  progress  in  different 
departments  during  that  period. 

Population  in  1S50 14^257 

Population  in  1890 55)727 

Valuation. 

1850  —  Real  Estate, $3,160,515 

Personal  Estate, $1,674,328 

$4,834,843 

1890 — Real  Estate, $29,390,332 

Personal  Estate $11,340,046 

$40,730,378 

Rate  of  Taxation. 

1850 — On  every  $1,000 $9.00 

1S90  —  On  every  $1,000 $i5-oo 

Voters. 

1850  —  Number  of  polls, 3-251 

1890  —  Number  of  polls, 17,003 

Appropriations  and  Receipts. 

1850 $45,000.00 

1890 $1,745,299-59 

Expenditures. 

1850 $36,704.19 

1890 $1,508,947.92 

Banks. 

1850 — Lynn  Mechanics,  capital, $150,000 

Laighton,  capital $100,000 

Total  capital $250,000 

Also  Lynn  Institution  for  Savings. 

1890 — First  National,  capital $500,000 

Central  National,  capital $200,000 

National  City,  capital $200,000 

National  Security,  capital $100,000 

Lynn  National,  capital $100,000 

Total  capital $2,100,000 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189O,  353 

Also  two  Savings  Banks  :  the  Lynn  Institution  for  Savings 
and  Lynn  Five  Cents  Savings  Bank. 

And  besides  these  there  v^^ere  the  Lynn  Safe  Deposit  and 
Trust  Company,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000  ;  and  the  Security 
Safe  Deposit  and  Trust  Company,  with  a  capital  of  $200,000. 

Religious  Societies. 

The  number  of  religious  societies  in  Lynn,  in  1850,  was 
17,  including  that  at  Swampscott.  The  houses  of  worship 
were  all  of  wood,  and  most  of  them  hardly  above  what  would 
now  be  called  shabby. 

The  number  of  religious  societies  is  now  (1890)  36.  Within 
a  few  years,  marked  progress  has  been  made  in  the  architec- 
ture of  our  houses  of  worship,  so  that  Lynn  now  has  several 
edifices  of  stone  and  brick  that  will  compare  favorably  with 
any  in  the  Commonwealth  out  of  Boston. 

Whether  the  religious  tone  of  our  community  has  been 
elevated  or  depressed  during  these  forty  j^ears,  is  a  problem. 
But  it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  comparative  attendance 
on  public  worship  is  somewhat  less,  in  these  latter  days.  The 
very  general  closing  of  the  churches  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
Lord's  day,  has  opened  the  way  for  meetings  in  the  public 
halls  and  other  places  for  the  discussion  of  all  sorts  of  secu- 
lar topics,  thus  diverting  minds  from  religious  subjects,  and 
perhaps  loosening  the  faith  of  many.  Others,  who  are  averse 
to  seeking  edification  within  dooi's,  are  inclined  to  spend  the 
vacant  hours  abroad,  in  the  woo^s,  the  fields  or  on  the  beaches. 

Lawyers. 

The  number  of  lawyers  in  Lynn  in  1850,  was  5.  In  1890, 
we  have  40,  which  certainly  indicates  a  great  increase  in  bus- 
iness or  in  a  love  for  litigation. 

Physicians. 

The  number  of  physicians  in  Lynn,  in  1850,  was  17.  In 
1890  we  have  80.  This  can  hardly  be  taken  as  indicating  a 
decline  in  the  healthfulness  of  the  place,  for  such  sanitar}^ 
improvements  and  appliances  have  been  made  during  the 
forty  years  as  would  naturally  tend  to  lessen  febrile  and  pul- 
monary diseases,  the  two  classes  most  to  be  feared  hereabout. 

The  great  progress  made  in  the  facilities  for  street  travel ; 
in  the  matters  of  drainage,  street  pavements,  sidewalk  con- 
struction, street  lighting,  and  in  many  other  like  directions, 

st<p.  3. 


354  ANNA1>S    OF    LYNN 189I  . 

will  at  once  occur  to  the  mind.  But  above  all,  the  water- 
works stand  pre-eminent  in  value  and  usefulness. 

A  wonderful  advance,  too,  has  been  made  in  the  architec- 
tural style  and  costliness  of  our  buildings,  public  and  private, 
business  and  residential,  so  that  it  may  be  said,  the  whole 
aspect  of  the  place  has  become  changed. 

Our  schools  and  the  various  means  for  intellectual  improve- 
ment and  diversion  have  kept  pace  with  the  general  onward 
march. 

For  a  simple  simile  let  us  illustrate  by  the  progress  of  arti- 
ficial lighting.  In  1850  we  were  fast  emerging  from  the  tal- 
low-dip and  uncleanly  whale-oil  lamp,  into  the  light  of  cam- 
phene  and  other  burning  fluids,  more  or  less  endangering 
from  explosion.  Then  came  kerosene,  in  a  few  years  to  be 
to  a  large  extent  supplanted  by  coal  gas.  Then  comes  the 
blazing  light  of  electricity,  which  has  already  begun  to  illumine 
our  streets,  many  of  our  business  places  and  homes.  Yes, 
and  it  is  working  its  way  with  masterly  rapidity,  as  a  motive 
power,  that  will  give  rest  to  many  a  weary  heart,  and  before 
which  even  our  old  and  faithful  servant,  steam,  seems  already 
drawing  to  a  wheezy  end.  The  extensive  electric  works  here 
in  Lynn,  which  are  spoken  of  somewhat  at  large  elsewhere, 
already  indicate  the  development  of  unlimited  capabilities  in 
the  subtile  agent,  and  presage  effects  hitherto  unattained  and 
unimagined.  What  next  it  will  accomplish,  it  would  be  dar- 
ing to  predict  —  perhaps  the  flashing  forth  of  intelligence 
from  other  worlds. 

1891. 

During  the  early  part  of  this  year,  business  generally,  and 
the  shoe  business  in  particular,  was  unusually  dull.  This 
was  attributable  in  a  great  degree  to  the  labor  troubles  that 
had  long  prevailed.  Both  employers  and  employed  now  be- 
came convinced  that  concession  was  needed  on  both  sides  ; 
and  when  the  conviction  was  earnestly  acted  on  affairs  began 
to  mend. 

The  new  City  Government  was  organized  Jan.  5  ;  E.  Knowl- 
ton  Fogg,  Mayor. 

The  70th  birthday  of  John  W.  Hutchinson,  one  of  the 
musical  "  band  of  brothers"  known  throughout  the  country, 
and  to  some  extent  in  Europe,  as  the  Hutchinson  family,  was 
celebrated  at  his  High  Rock  home,  Jan.  5.  The  day  was  not 
very  pleasant  without,  but  within,  the  large  gathering  of 
friends  made  everything  cheerful  and  enjoyable.     Some  came 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189I.  355 

from  distant  homes,  anxious  to  pay  their  respects  to  one  who 
had  so  long  added  to  the  enjoyment  of  others,  by  his  genial 
temperament,  his  sweet  songs,  and  philanthropic  acts.  He 
was  an  early  and  zealous  advocate  for  the  abolition  of  slavery, 
as  were  his  brothers  ;  and  likewise  ardent  as  a  temperance 
reformer.  Their  songs  and  persistent  efforts,  in  divers  ways, 
undoubtedly  did  much  to  advance  the  reforms  alluded  to. 

The  fine  summer  residence  of  Nathaniel  Brewer,  on  Ocean 
street,  was  destroyed  by  fire,  Jan.  7,  the  loss  on  house  and 
contents  reaching  $31,000. 

The  Lynn  Board  of  Trade  held  its  first  annual  meeting  in 
the  Common  Council  room,  Jan.  14,  and  completed  the  or- 
ganization by  the  choice  of  Albert  L.  Rohrer,  president,  John 
B.  Newhall,  secretar}^,  and  James  E.  Jenkins,  treasurer.  It 
numbered  among  its  active  members  some  of  our  stanchest 
and  most  sagacious  business  men,  and  soon  became  a  power- 
ful aid  to  the  business  of  the  city,  and  its  welfare  in  various 
departments. 

Bog  Meadow,  so  called,  in  the  eastern  section  of  the  town, 
was  formally  taken  possession  of  by  the  Park  Commissioners, 
under  a  recent  enabling  legislative  act,  for  park  purposes, 
Jan.  16. 

Died,  Jan.  18,  Edward  K.  Weston,  aged  47,  long  a  lead- 
ing music  teacher  in  various  departments  of  the  art.  He 
was  organist  and  choir  master  of  St.  Stephen's  Church  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  acquitted  himself  in  a  manner  most 
satisfactory,  not  only  by  his  skill  upon  the  instrument,  but 
likewise  by  his  facility  m  the  control,  as  well  as  teaching,  of 
the  large  boy  choir  of  that  church.  He  had  previously  served 
as  organist  in  the  First  Universalist  and  one  or  two  other  Lynn 
churches.  His  manners  were  pleasing,  and  all  his  ways  tended 
to  inspire  confidence  in  those  with  whom  he  became  associated. 

A  fire  occurred,  Jan.  22,  caused  by  an  overheated  boiler, 
in  a  wooden  building  on  Bowser  street,  occupied  by  Charles 
E.  Blake  &  Co.  as  a  shoe  factory.  The  loss  on  building  and 
contents  was  $5,100. 

The  Manufacturers'  National  Bank,  being  the  sixth  bank 
of  discount  in  Lynn,  was  organized  Feb.  3,  and  opened  for 
business  June  22,  with  a  capital  of  $200,000. 

The  First  Methodist  Society  held  a  centennial  celebration  of 
the  establishment  of  Methodism  in  Lynn,  Feb.  20. 

Died,  March  22,  Stephen  H.  Gardiner,  aged  90.  He  was  a 
well-known  citizen,  and  during  the  many  years  of  his  resi- 
dence here  was  universally  known  as  "  Captain  "  Gardiner. 


356  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189I. 

He  was  a  native  of  Sag  Harbor,  Long  Island,  and  probabl}^ 
a  descendant  from  one  of  the  old  Lynn  emigrants  to  that 
vicinity,  as  his  middle  name  was  Halsey,  and  Thomas  Halsey 
was  one  of  the  emigrants  settling  at  Southampton.  Captain 
Gardiner  was  a  master  mariner,  came  to  Lynn  in  or  about 
1835,  and  sailed  as  commander  of  one  of  the  Lynn  Whalers 
mentioned  under  date  1832.  He  quit  the  vocation  of  mariner, 
however,  many  years  ago,  and  engaged  in  other  business. 
He  invented  one  or  two  highly  useful  nautical  appliances  and 
obtained  letters  patent.  He  was  a  man  of  commanding  figure, 
genial  manners  and  friendly  sympathies. 

The  great  strike  of  morocco  workers,  which  began  in 
August,  1890,  was  declared  "  off,"  April  9. 

A  fire  occurred,  April  17,  in  the  Pevear  Block,  Munroe 
street,  caused  by  electric  wires,  and  resulting  in  loss  to  the 
amount  of  about  $7,000. 

Monsignor  Strain,  so  long  a  faithful  minister  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  in  Lynn,  receives,  April  30,  at  St.  Mary's 
Church,  the  insignia  of  Domestic  Prelate — a  member  of 
the  household  —  of  His  Holiness  Leo  XHL  A  solemn  high 
mass  with  a  select  Boston  choir  added  much  to  the  solem- 
nity. Monsignor  Strain  left  Lynn  soon  after  on  a  visit  to 
Rome. 

The  recent  introduction  of  military  exercises  in  our  common 
schools  adds  a  new,  interesting  and  perhaps  useful  feature  to 
youthful  accomplishments.  There  was  quite  a  martial  gath- 
ering here  in  Lynn,  and  a  competitive  drill,  of  what  is  known 
as  the  Second  Massachusetts  School  Regiment,  on  May  9, 
Companies  being  present  from  Andover,  Brookline,  Chelsea, 
Gloucester,  Lowell,  Maiden,  Medford,  Reading,  Wakefield 
and  Woburn.  There  was  a  great  gathering  of  parents  and 
friends,  male  and  female,  old  and  young,  to  greet  the  youth- 
ful soldier  boys —  "  at  least  one  girl  visitor  to  each  boy  sol- 
dier," as  a  local  paper  said.  The  rivalry  at  the  drill  was 
quite  spirited.  Governor  Russell  and  members  of  his  staff 
were  present.  In  the  drill,  Maiden  came  in  first  of  the  win- 
ners. 

A  mass  meeting  was  held  at  the  First  Universalist  Church, 
May  20,  to  consider  measures  for  the  prevention  of  the  rap- 
idly increasing  disregard  of  the  Lord's  Day. 

A  prize  fight  took  place  before  the  Lynn  Athletic  Club, 
May  25,  at  which  one  of  the  participants  received  such  "  pun- 
ishment" as  caused  his  death. 

A  choir  festival  was  held  in  St.  Stephen's  Church,  May  27, 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189I.  357 

in  which  fourteen  surpliced  choirs  of  young  men  and  boys 
participated.     The  choristers  numbered  about  four  hundred. 

Memorial  Day  (May  30)  observed  as  usual.  The  address 
was  by  Hon.  F.  T.  Greenhalge  of  Lowell. 

During  the  year  ending  June  i,  there  were  erected  in  Lynn 
465  buildings,  of  the  aggregate  value  of  $2,092,100.  Some 
of  them  were  superior  brick,  stone  and  iron  structures. 

The  Lynn  Boys'  Club,  an  institution  of  a  few  years'  stand- 
ing, of  great  merit,  intended  for  the  training  of  youth,  in  all 
good  wa3^s,  had  June  i,  according  to  the  Superintendent's 
annual  report,  an  enrolled  membership  of  631. 

Hon.  Harmon  Hall,  of  Saugus,  died  June  30,  aged  73. 
He  was  a  native  of  Portland,  Me.,  but  came  hither  when 
quite  young,  and  from  a  childhood  of  comparative  penury 
worked  his  way  to  a  manhood  of  competence  and  considera- 
tion, filling  positions  of  usefulness  and  trust.  Among  the 
offices  which  he  held  were  those  of  Town  Clerk  and  Select- 
man of  Saugus,  Representative  and  Senator  in  the  State 
Legislature,  Governor's  Counsellor,  and  Prison  Commissioner. 
He  was  likewise  for  a  number  of  years  President  of  the  Sau- 
gus Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company.  He  was  a  member  of 
various  organizations  ;  a  Freemason  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  In 
person  Mr.  Hall  was  prepossessing,  and  in  manners  genial. 

Independence  Day  was  duly  celebrated.  The  preparations 
were  elaborate  and  successfully  carried  out,  the  procession 
especially  being  unusually  fine. 

The  winter  of  1890-91  yielded  a  good  crop  of  ice,  inso- 
much that  the  price,  which  had  greatly  increased  during  the 
preceding  summer,  receded  to  about  its  usual  figure. 

A  fire  occurred,  July  5,  in  a  wooden  dwelling  on  Tudor 
street,  owned  and  occupied  by  Charles  E.  Peabody,  caused 
by  a  defective  flue,  that  resulted  in  a  loss  amounting  to  $6,700. 

A  destructive  fire  occurred,  July  17,  on  Union  street,  near 
the  Central  railroad  station,  in  the  Blake,  Strout  and  Currier 
brick  blocks.  Loss,  $172,000.  The  cause  of  the  fire  was 
unknown. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  West  Lynn  Odd  Fellows'  build- 
ing. North  Common  street,  was  laid  July  30. 

Died,  Aug.  15,  at  his  residence  on  Green  street,  John  B. 
Tolman,  aged  84  ;  a  citizen  widely  known  and  worthily  ex- 
tolled for  his  benevolent  and  timely  public  gifts.  He  was 
born  in  Barre,  Worcester  county,  but  in  boyhood  went  to 
Dedham,  where  he  learned  the  printer's  trade.  In  1830  he 
came  to  Lynn,  where  his  first  employment  was  on  the  old  Lynn 


358  ANNALS    OP'    LYNN 189I. 

Record.  And  he  continued  in  the  printing  business,  by  in- 
dustry and  frugahty  hiying  the  foundation  for  the  fortune 
which  he  finally  secured  and  so  judiciously  disposed  of.  He 
was  an  ardent  advocate  for  the  reforms  of  the  day ;  and  es- 
pecially zealous  in  the  temperance  cause,  in  furtherance  of 
which  he  gave  a  trust  fund  of  some  $30,000.  To  establish 
charitable  institutions,  by  direct  gift  while  living,  and  by  will, 
he  gave  the  further  aggregate  sum  of  $20,000.  Mr.  Tolman 
and  his  wife  lived  happily  together  far  into  old  age.  In  188 1 
they  celebrated  their  "  golden  wedding."  And  death  did  not 
long  part  them,  for  she  died  at  the  age  of  86,  within  ten  days 
of  his  decease. 

Died,  Sept.  i,  Timothy  Lakeman,  long  known  as  the  "  Old 
Lamplighter,"  aged  79.  He  was  a  faithful  official  in  the 
city  lighting,  department  for  about  thirty  years,  was  intelligent 
and  keenly  observant  of  passing  events ;  was  affable  in  man- 
ners, had  a  good  common  school  education,  and  was  full  of 
reminiscences  of  old  time  events  and  people.  Though  not  a 
political  aspirant,  he  was  quite  remarkable  for  his  knowledge 
of  current  political  affairs  and  the  characteristics  of  public 
men,  and  was  a  prompter,  if  not  a  guide,  for  many  an  active 
and  ambitious  partisan. 

The  weather  on  Labor  Day,  Sept.  7,  was  so  unfavorable 
that  the  out-door  proceedings  were  less  satisfactory  than  usual. 
In  Lasters'  Hall,  Andrew  street,  a  meeting  was  held,  at  which 
Mayor  Fogg  made  an  address,  and  other  brief  speeches  were 
made. 

Mrs.  Harrison,  wife  of  President  Harrison,  and  other  mem- 
bers of  the  white  house  family  made  a  short  visit  to  Lynn, 
Sept.  23,  and  had  a  reception  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Coffin,  Nahant  street.  A  drive  about  town  and  the  vicinity,  to 
Swampscott  and  Nahant,  concluded  their  visit. 

Died,  very  suddenly,  Sept.  28,  at  his  home,  Linwood  street, 
Cyrus  M.  Tracy,  aged  67.  He  was  a  native  of  Norwich, 
Ct.,  came  to  Lynn  while  very  young  and  began  his  education 
in  our  public  schools.  He  possessed  a  literary  turn,  and 
while  laboring  day  by  day  found  means  to  gratify  his  taste  and 
store  his  mind.  He  loved  good  books,  and  their  teachings 
found  congenial  soil  in  his  heart  and  mind,  sinking  deeply 
and  bearing  excellent  fruit.  He  early  acquired  a  felicitous 
use  of  the  pen,  and  in  almost  every  department  of  literature 
became  conspicuous,  in  a  local  sense  at  least.  His  writings 
in  poetry,  history,  and  on  the  passing  events  of  life,  attracted 
marked  attention.     As  the  editor  of  a  weekly  paper  he  was 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 89 1.  359 

extensively  and  favorably  known.  Nothing  like  a  full  col- 
lection of  his  writings  has  yet  appeared.  He  was  a  true 
lover  of  nature  and  delighted  to  rove  among  her  varied  and 
beautiful  works  ;  to  him  a  day  in  the  woods  was  worth  many 
days  of  what  most  of  us  call  the  pleasures  of  social  life.  It 
is  not  overstraining  even  to  call  him  the  father  of  our  late 
splendid  acquisition  known  as  Lynn  Woods.  His  little  book 
entitled  "  Essex  Flora  "  will  be  studied  long  after  the  fragrant 
beauties  it  classifies  have  been  driven  far  away  by  the  aggres- 
sive hand  of  "improvement."  "Mr.  Tracy,"  say  the  Park 
Commissioners  in  their  report  for  1891,  "was  a  versatile, 
many-sided  man.  His  call,  his  inner  inspiration,  was  to  teach 
the  people  of  Lynn  that  they  had  in  the  Woods  '  an  asylum 
of  inexhaustible  pleasure.'  Of  all  the  work  he  accomplished 
in  his  useful  life  he  would  undoubtedly  desire  to  be  remem- 
bered for  this.  .  .  .  That  to-day  the  whole  magnificent 
domain  is  the  people's  is  due  to  the  momentum  which  he  gave. 
The  children  of  Lynn,  in  all  generations,  will  cherish  and 
revere  the  memory  of  Cyrus  M.  Tracy  for  the  marvelous 
gift  to  which  his  seer's  vision  guided  them."  He  delivered 
the  poem  at  the  dedication  of  the  City  Hall,  Nov.  30,  1867, 
and  the  oration  at  the  celebration  of  the  250th  anniversary  of 
the  settlement  of  the  town,  June  17,  1879.  Notwithstanding 
all  his  early  disabilities,  his  physical  imperfection  and  the 
discouragement  of  stinted  means,  Mr.  Tracy  kept  on  his  ris- 
ing way  with  unwavering  courage,  till  guiding  purpose  and 
laudable  ambition  began  to  yield  their  ripening  fruit.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Houghton  Horticultural  Soci- 
ety, and  never  tired  in  his  efforts  to  enhance  the  usefulness 
of  that  and  kindred  organizations.  The  death  of  Mr.  Tracy 
was  startlingly  sudden.  He  was  abroad  as  usual  on  the 
evening  of  the  27th,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  was  dead 
and  cold  upon  his  bed. 

John  Wooldredge,  whose  death  took  place  at  the  age  of  68, 
in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  on  the  7th  of  October,  was  long  a 
conspicuous  resident  of  Lynn,  though  Marblehead  was  his 
native  place.  He  came  in  1847  and  here  passed  most  of  his 
business  life.  He  was  a  prominent  shoe  manufacturer,  and 
amassed  a  large  property  ;  was  interested  in  municipal  affairs, 
and  in  the  development  of  all  promising  resources.  He 
served  in  the  City  Government  as  an  Alderman,  and  was  for 
some  time  President  of  the  First  National  Bank.  In  railroad 
affairs  he  became  widely  known,  and  was  for  a  time  Presi- 
dent of  the  Eastern  Railroad.      His  large  and  fine  estate  at 


360  ANNALS    OF    LYNN  189I. 

the  corner  of  Ocean  and  Nahant  streets,  overlooking  the 
peninsula,  the  beaches  and  a  large  extent  of  the  bay,  must 
have  been  the  source  of  much  enjoyment  to  him.  But  it  has 
now  become  the  site  of  several  less  spacious  but  beautifully 
appointed  residential  estates  ;  thus  affording  pleasure  to  in- 
creased numbers  of  nature's  votaries. 

The  neat  Scandinavian  Church,  on  Pleasant  street,  was 
dedicated  on  the  nth  of  October.     Its  cost  was  $7,000. 

On  Sunday,  Oct.  25,  the  weather  was  clear  throughout  the 
United  States.  No  signal  station  reported  a  drop  of  rain. 
No  other  such  occurrence  reported  for  eighteen  years. 

Died,  in  Warnerville,  Concord,  Mass.,  Nov.  23,  Gardiner 
Tufts,  aged  63.  Death  found  him  at  his  post  of  duty  as  Su- 
perintendent of  the  State  Reformatory,  which  position  he  had 
faithfully  filled  for  some  years.  He  was  a  son  of  Richard 
Tufts,  for  a  long  time  a  deacon  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church,  well  known  as  a  rigid  moralist  and  temperance  ad- 
vocate, and  a  grandson  of  David  Tufts,  spoken  of  elsewhere 
as  the  first  regular  Lynn  expressman.  He  was  engaged  in 
mechanical  employments  during  his  earlier  years,  but  before 
middle  life  had  conceived  an  ambition  for  a  different  and 
wider  field  of  action.  Among  his  first  public  appointments 
was  that  of  Assistant  Postmaster  of  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives at  Washington,  a  position  which  gave  him  an  insight 
into  public  affairs  and  an  acquaintance  with  public  men 
that  proved  of  great  benefit  in  after  years.  Soon  after  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  was  appointed  Military 
Agent  of  Massachusetts  at  Washington,  and  in  that  capacity 
received  unstinted  approbation  from  those  in  authority  over 
him,  and  the  affectionate  regard  of  the  many  to  whom  in  the 
exercise  of  his  office  he  administered  ;  long  after  the  war 
he  continued  to  receive  loving  testimonials  from  the  sufferers 
and  their  dependents,  whom  he  had  done  so  much  to  relieve. 
He  was  a  friendly  advocate  for  every  worthy  soldier,  and  a 
faithful  counsellor  for  the  less  deserving.  His  constant  efforts 
in  behalf  of  the  soldiers  of  our  dear  old  Commonwealth  are 
still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  thousands.  It  need  not  be  said 
that  he  was  universally  esteemed  in  his  native  place,  in 
whose  prosperity  he  ever  retained  an  affectionate  interest, 
nor  that  he  was  called  to  fill  various  local  offices  of  trust  and 
responsibility.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Common  Council, 
an  Alderman,  and  a  Representative  in  the  State  Legislature. 
Colonel  Tufts  —  for  he  held  that  military  title  by  brevet  — 
was  a  great  lover  of  music,  and  an  adept  in  its  practice,  at 
least  as  a  vocalist.     He  was  also  well  skilled  in  the  use  of 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 189I.  361 

the  pen,  often  enriching  our  local  papers  with  reminiscences 
and  disquisitions.  Many  of  his  papers  were  much  more  de- 
serving of  preservation  than  some  that  we  day  by  day  see 
between  handsome  book  covers.  He  was  a  steadfast  friend 
of  Cyrus  M.  Tracy,  spoken  of  under  this  date,  and  who 
passed  away  but  about  two  months  before  him.  They  were 
fellow-workers  for  a  time,  in  early  life,  at  the  tool  factory  of 
Theophilus  N.  Breed,  on  Oak  street.  His  death  was  sudden 
and  peaceful ;  peaceful,  for  he  who  had  so  faithfully  done 
his  duty  here  could  have  no  fear  regarding  his  final  accept- 
ance. 

A  banquet  was  held  in  Lasters'  Hall  on  Thanksgiving 
Day,  Nov.  26,  by  our  French  citizens. 

A  fire  occurred  in  the  large  wooden  building,  corner  of 
Market  and  Andrew  streets,  belonging  to  T.  E.  Parker  and 
heirs  of  James  N.  Buffum,  Nov.  28.  Loss  on  building  and 
stocks,  about  $105,000. 

Died,  in  Brookline,  Mass.,  Dec.  25,  Rev.  Charles  C. 
Shackford,  aged  76.  He  was  minister  of  the  Unitarian  So- 
ciety in  Lynn  for  nineteen  years,  commencing  in  1846  ;  was 
scholarly  and  vigorous,  and  took  great  interest  in  all  enter- 
prises for  the  promotion  of  intelligence  among  every  class. 
For  the  efficiency  and  advancement  of  our  public  schools  he 
was  unwearied  in  his  etibrts.  The  Public  Library  received 
his  fostering  care,  and  he  also  did  much  by  introducing  lectures 
of  the  higher  order.  For  some  years  he  owned  the  chief 
part  of  the  beautiful  suburban  precinct  now  know  as  Lynn- 
hurst,  and  resided  there,  spending  much  time  and  money  in 
improving  the  grounds  and  planting  a  great  variety  of  choice 
fruit  trees  —  trees  which  have  already  been  largely  uprooted 
through  the  demands  for  building  sites.  After  leaving  Lynn, 
Mr.  Shackford  became  a  professor  in  Cornell  University, 
where  he  diligently  labored  for  a  nvimber  of  years,  the  recip- 
ient of  many  encomiums  for  his  capability  and  efficiency. 
He  delivered  the  address  at  the  consecration  of  Pine  Grove 
Cemetery,  July  24,  1850.  It  was  at  the  ordination  of  Mr. 
Shackford,  in  South  Boston,  that  Theodore  Parker  preached 
the  sermon  which  for  the  first  time  brought  into  strong  light  his 
peculiar  views,  creating  a  sensation  even  before  the  congre- 
gation that  listened  to  it  dispersed,  and  long  agitating  the 
theological  world  —  a  sermon  of  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Swett, 
then  minister  of  the  Unitarian  Church  here,  said  in  his 
pulpit,  "  If  that  is  Unitarianism  I  am  not  a  Unitarian." 

The  total  loss  by  tire,  in  Lynn,  during  1891,  was 
$352,119.06. 


362  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892. 

1892. 

The  new  City  Government  was  organized,  Jan,  4,  Elihu  B. 
Hayes,  Mayor, 

Died,  Jan.  14,  Aza  A.  Breed,  aged  72,  a  native  and  life- 
long resident  of  Lynn.  He  was  a  lineal  descendant  from 
Allen  Breed,  who  came  here  among  the  first  settlers,  in  1630. 
Mr.  Breed  was  an  enterprising  and  esteemed  citizen.  He 
served  in  both  branches  of  the  City  Council,  and  exercised 
much  influence  by  his  good  judgment  and  prompt  action. 
There  was,  however,  one  flighty  episode  in  his  life  ;  and  that 
was  when,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1878,  he  made  a  balloon  ascen- 
sion from  City  Hall  Square,  in  company  with  City  Marshal, 
Charles  C.  Fry,  C.  Frederick  Smith,  a  newspaper  reporter, 
and  the  aeronaut.  But  it  was  a  depressing  episode  when, 
early  in  the  afternoon  of  Oct.  5,  1878,  he  was  attacked  by 
two  ruffians  in  Belcher  Lane,  Boston,  and  robbed  of  $8,000. 
The  money  belonged  to  the  Central  National  Bank,  of  Lynn, 
and  was  in  his  custody  as  a  public  messenger.  The  robbers 
escaped  with  their  plunder;  but  the  bank,  having  full  confi- 
dence in  the  honesty  of  Mr.  Breed,  and  sympathy  for  his 
misfortune  and  personal  injury,  readily  bore  the  larger  part 
of  the  loss.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the  Lyim  Five  Cents  Sav- 
ings Bank,  a  director  of  the  Lynn  and  Boston  Street  Rail- 
road, and  held  other  offices,  in  which  care  and  fidelity  were 
prime  requisites. 

James  Warren  Newhall,  an  accomplished  writer  of  prose 
and  poetry,  died,  Jan.  22,  aged  65.  Mr.  Newhall  was  long 
and  favorably  known,  especially  for  his  poetic  contributions, 
which  in  a  great  measure  had  reference  to  passing  events 
and  local  affairs.  His  lines  furnished  for  festive  and  patriotic 
occasions  were  always  greeted  with  applause,  and  now 
that  he  has  gone  from  among  us,  it  may  surely  be  said  that 
could  his  writings  be  gathered  up,  they  would  form  a  volume 
that  would  afford  enjoyment  to  generations  yet  to  come.  He 
had  a  humorous  vein  that  induced  many  a  healthful  smile,  and 
one  of  tenderness  that  bore  sympathy  and  consolation.  He 
was  for  some  years  editor  of  one  of  our  weekly  newspapers, 
and  in  that  capacity  acquitted  himself  as  one  who  well  under- 
stood the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  such  a  position.  Ph3'si- 
call3^  he  was  a  cripple  from  his  birth,  and  as  years  multiplied, 
found  it  more  and  more  difficult  to  appear  in  the  streets  ;  but 
his  spirits  retained  their  buoyancy,  insomuch  that  his  presence 
was  soujiht  for  on  all  sorts  of  festive  occasions.  He  had  no 
complaints  to  make  about  his  hard  fate,  and  had  no  moody 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892.  363 

or  sulky  hours.  Possibly  had  it  not  been  for  his  infirmities, 
we  should  never  have  had  such  estimable  fruits  of  his  genius, 
for  it  is  often  seen  that  the  mind  of  the  physical  invalid,  by 
its  indisposition  and  inability  to  grapple  with  the  cares  and 
perplexities  of  active  life,  turns  to  higher  and  more  ennobling 
pursuits.  One  of  his  longest  poems  was  that  delivered  at  the 
celebration  of  the  250th  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the 
First  Church  of  Lynn,  June  8,  1882.  It  was  happily  con- 
ceived, well  delivered,  and  much  enjoyed  by  the  refined 
congregation  who  listened  to  it. 

On  Wednesday  evening,  Feb.  3,  the  recently  formed  Board 
of  Trade  held  their  first  regular  banquet,  about  175  partaking. 
It  was  a  notable  gathering  and  augured  well  for  the  future 
good  of  the  business  interests  of  Lynn.  Earnest  and  well- 
considered  addresses  on  various  industrial  topics  were  made, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  the  useful  organization  was  fast  getting 
into  good  working  order,  as  it  was  full  of  promise  for  the 
stimulation  of  trade  and  aiding  all  healthful  municipal  inter- 
ests. 

The  Thomson-Houston  and  Edison  General  Electric  com- 
panies were  consolidated,  Feb.  5. 

The  double  track  on  the  Saugus  Branch  of  the  Boston  and 
Maine  Railroad,  completed. 

St.  Luke's  Methodist  Church,  Oakwood  avenue,  was  dedi- 
cated Feb.  14. 

A  fire  occurred  in  Riley's  block,  Market  street,  Feb.  20, 
occasioning  a  loss  of  some  $8,500. 

Died,  Feb.  25,  Henry  L.  Chase,  aged  66.  He  was  a  native 
of  Leominster,  but  came  to  Lynn  in  1868  as  principal  of  the 
Whiting  Grammar  School.  He  was  a  good  teacher,  and 
besides  his  service  in  that  capacity  did  much  to  enkindle  a 
taste  for  science  and  kindred  pursuits.  He  loved  to  associate 
with  ramblers  in  the  hidden  nooks  of  nature's  domain,  and 
to  discuss  with  scholars  topics  of  progressive  education.  He 
was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Unitarian  Society,  and  a  touching 
service  was  held  over  his  remains  in  their  house  of  worship. 

A  severe  and  long-continued  storm  commenced  March  i, 
doing  considerable  damage  along  the  Ocean  street  shore  and 
in  other  exposed  places.  Lamper's  tide  mill,  near  the  foot 
of  Pleasant  street,  was  wrecked. 

Elijah  D.  Howard  was  found  dead  in  his  room,  March  12. 
He  was  a  machinist,  having  his  place  of  business  on  Munroe 
street,  and  for  twenty  years  had  made  his  home  in  a  room  on 
Whittier  street.  He  had  the  reputation  of  being  in  rather 
moderate  circumstances,  though  not  in  absolute  penury.    Much 


364  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892. 

to  the  surprise  of  his  neighbors  there  was  found  in  his  room 
after  his  decease,  in  gold  coin,  mortgages,  notes  and  other 
evidences  of  wealth,  the  amount  of  some  $35,000. 

Charles  J.  Van  Depoele,  an  expert  electrician  holding  a 
position  at  the  Thomson-Houston  works,  died  at  his  home  on 
Essex  street,  March  18,  aged  46.  He  was  a  native  of  Bel- 
gium. From  early  life  he  was  fond  of  experimenting  with 
electricity,  and  soon  attained  a  wonderful  insight  into  its  power 
and  capabilities.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1871,  and  was 
soon  active  in  the  establishment  of  electric  plants  in  various 
places,  largely  at  the  West  and  in  Canada.  It  is  claimed  that 
to  him  belongs  the  honor  of  being  a  pioneer  in  the  electric 
street  railway  held.  A  solemn  high  mass  was  held  over  his 
remains  at  St.  Mary's  church,  at  which  some  3,000  persons 
attended,  2,500  being  from  the  Thomson-Houston  works, 
which  suspended  labor  on  the  occasion. 

St.  Patrick's  Day,  March  17,  was  duly  celebrated  by  Irish- 
American  citizens. 

A  fire  in  Sleeper's  hardware  store,  Munroe  street,  March  20, 
did  damage  to  the  amount  of  $6,000. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  Central  Church  edifice.  Broad 
street,  was  laid  March  21. 

The  new  Club  House  of  the  Oxford  Club,  on  Washington 
Square,  was  opened  and  a  great  fair  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Club  commenced,  April  6,  and  continued  four  days.  This 
fine  building  is  furnished  with  every  appliance  necessary  and 
convenient  for  those  who  take  pleasure  in  such  organizations, 
which,  though  of  slow  growth  in  this  country,  have  now  be- 
come a  marked  feature.  Lynn  at  the  present  time  numbers 
among  her  club  members  a  considerable  portion  of  our  most 
prominent  and  representative  citizens,  and  the  associations 
without  doubt  as  now  conducted,  are  doing  a  good  work  in 
softening  the  asperities  and  frictions  of  common  life,  and  aid- 
ing the  development  of  resources  most  applicable  to  the  needs 
of  this  our  day.  Time  may  even  develop  in  some  members 
the  stalwart  characteristics  of  old  English  club  life. 

The  West  Lynn  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  dedicate  their  new 
quarters  on  North  Common  street,  April  27. 

Arbor  Day,  April  30,  was  noticed  among  other  ways,  by 
the  assembling  in  the  woods  of  representatives  of  the  Hough- 
ton Horticultural  Society,  who  planted,  near  Mt.  Gilead, 
three  trees,  one  to  the  memory  of  each  of  our  three  recently 
departed  local  lights:  —  Henry  L.  Chase,  James  Warren 
Newhall  and  Cyrus  M.  Tracy.  There  was  a  prayer,  an 
address,  and  the  reading  of  an  original  poem,  all  earnest  and 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1 892.  365 

sympathetic.  The  trees  previously  selected,  were,  for  Mr. 
Chase,  a  Norway  maple,  for  Mr.  Newhall,  a  cut-leaf  birch, 
and  for  Mr.  Tracy,  a  purple-leafed  English  sycamore.  It 
was  a  touching  and  merited  tribute. 

On  Saturday  morning,  April  30  —  the  next  day.  May  i, 
being  Sunday  —  the  Associated  Charities,  an  excellent  or- 
ganization whose  purposes  are  indicated  by  its  name,  spread 
a  substantial  May  breakfast  in  the  Armory  building,  Franklin 
street.  The  number  of  partakers  was  between  1500  and 
2000.  Various  other  entertainments  and  diversions  occupied 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  after  part  of  the  day.  It  was  a 
successful  and  enjoyable  May-day  celebration.  The  receipts 
realized  for  carrying  on  this  work  by  the  Associated  Charities 
amounted  to  $678.27  for  the  day. 

The  first  place  for  Jewish  worship  in  Lynn,  a  hall  in  Clapp's 
block.  Market  street,  corner  of  Munroe,  was  dedicated  on 
Sunday,  May  i.  The  exercises  were  in  accordance  with  the 
solemn  Jewish  ritual. 

Quite  a  "  mad  dog  scare  "  took  place  in  Lynn  and  vicinity 
about  the  middle  of  May.  A  small  fox  hound,  belonging  to 
George  Franker  of  Saugus,  rushed  furiously  about  the  streets, 
manifesting  every  appearance  of  madness.  He  was  finally 
despatched  by  Cit}^  Marshal  Wells,  but  not  before  having 
bitten,  as  was  stated,  not  less  than  eleven  persons  and  forty 
dogs.  That  he  was  really  mad,  for  sometime  remained  in 
doubt.  A  professor  of  Harvard  College,  after  critically  ex- 
amining the  brain  of  the  dog  gave  the  opinion  that  he  was  not 
mad.  But  the  final  death  of  two  of  the  persons  bitten,  with 
unmistakable  marks  of  hydrophobia,  led  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  examination  of  the  dog's  brain  was  not  reliable. 

A  fire  occurred.  May  20,  in  J.  Otis  Marshall's  wood-turning 
establishment,  Marshall's  wharf.  It  was  soon  under  control 
but  not  extinguished  till  property  to  the  amount  of  $17,464 
was  destroyed. 

May  30,  Memorial  Day,  was  observed  much  as  usual,  709 
soldiers'  graves  being  decorated.  The  address  was  delivered 
in  the  evening,  by  Gen.  John  L.  Swift. 

Died,  at  Nantucket,  June  16,  William  Foster  Mitchell, 
aged  67.  He  will  long  be  favorably  remembered  as  a  City 
Missionary  in  Lynn  for  a  number  of  years.  And  a  large 
portion  of  his  life  both  before  and  after  his  residence  here 
was  spent  in  similarly  benevolent  work.  Especially  did  he 
labor  during  the  Civil  War,  and  subsequently,  for  the  better- 
ing of  the  condition  of  the  emancipated  slaves  and  other 
colored  people.     He  was  born  in  Nantucket,  and  was  a  son 


366  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892. 

of  William  Mitchell,  an  accomplished  scientist,  well  known 
among  scholars,  especially  those  clustering  around  Harvard 
College.  Professor  Maria  Mitchell,  the  well-known  proficient 
in  astronomical  science,  was  a  sister  of  his. 

The  new  and  stately  High  School  building,  on  Highland 
square,  was  dedicated  on  Friday  evening,  June  17,  with  ap- 
propriate ceremonies.  Members  of  the  School  Committee, 
the  Mayor  and  other  City  officials  made  brief  addresses,  and 
the  musical  renderings  gave  zest  to  the  exercises.  Presi- 
dent Eliot  of  Harvard  College,  was  the  prominent  orator. 
There  was  a  very  large  attendance  of  interested  townspeople, 
and  every  thing  passed  off  with  promptness  and  decorum. 
The  cost  of  land  and  building  was  $295,000. 

July  2,  Cora  Beckwith  succeeds  in  the  extraordinary  feat 
of  swimming  from  Egg  Rock  to  Lynn  Beach,  landing  nearly 
opposite  the  foot  of  old  Beach  street. 

Died,  July  27,  Abraham  C  Moody,  aged  65.  He  took 
great  interest  in  the  fire  department,  was  chief  engineer  for 
seventeen  years,  during  which  time  the  most  appalling  con- 
flagration with  which  he  was  destined  to  grapple  was  the 
great  fire  of  Nov.  26,  1889.  He  was  a  native  of  Newburj'- 
port  but  came  to  Lynn  while  a  boy,  and  here  worked  at  the 
morocco  business,  which  proved  to  be  the  chief  occupation  of 
his  whole  life.  He  possessed  much  decision  of  character, 
was  trustworthy  and  reliable. 

August  17  will  be  remembered  in  the  history  of  Lynn 
as  the  day  on  which  the  great  gathering  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Boston  Boot  and  Shoe  Club,  took  place.  It  was  an 
occasion  that  called  together  leading  men  of  the  boot  and 
shoe  trade  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  the  Lynn  Board  of 
Trade  acting  the  part  of  host.  The  day  was  pleasant,  and 
the  early  morning  trains  brought  numbers  of  eager,  expect- 
ant and  hopeful  participants  ;  for  it  was  the  first  of  a  series 
of  annual  trade  gatherings  which  the  club  proposed  to  hold. 
Governor  Russell  arrived  at  about  ten  o'clock,  and  held  a 
reception  in  the  eligible  rooms  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  on 
Exchange  street.  An  hour  was  spent  by  His  Excellency  in 
shaking  hands  and  exchanging  brief  greetings  with  the  mul- 
titude of  those  eager  to  pay  their  respects.  Then  the  mem- 
bers of  the  club  and  guests  were  driven  to  the  grounds  of 
Francis  W.  Breed,  on  Ocean  street,  where  a  generous  en- 
tertainment was  spread.  After  freelv  partaking,  the  party 
re-entered  the  carriages  and  were  driven  to  various  points, 
chiefly  those  of  historic  interest  or  scenic  grandeur,  with 
both  of  which,  fortunately,  Lynn  abounds.     Thus  the  hours 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892.  367 

were  occupied  till  the  meridian  was  passed  ;  and  then  the 
drive  to  "  Lynn  Woods,"  our  newly-acquired  sylvan  domain, 
was  commenced.  An  extended  ride  along  the  shady  ways, 
with  now  and  then  a  momentary  pause  to  visit  some  wild 
glen,  legendary  shrine  or  commanding  height,  brought  them 
to  the  vicinity  of  Mount  Gilead.  And  there,  on  a  spacious 
forest  opening,  carpeted  by  leaves  and  moss,  they  found 
ample  preparations  for  a  now  highly  appreciable  banquet, 
for  the  ride  had  been  \ovg-  and  the  hour  was  late.  The  rustic 
seats  along  the  tables  were  soon  occupied  by  a  hungry  com- 
pany of  more  than  three  hundred.  In  due  time  the  appetites 
were  appeased  ;  and  then  began  the  intellectual  exercises. 
The  speeches  were,  of  course,  chiefly  on  topics  connected 
with  the  shoe  and  leather  interests,  but  not  exclusively  so, 
and  elicited  most  heart}^  applause.  The  president  of  the 
club,  F.  G.  Nazro,  was  the  first  speaker,  then  Mayor  Hayes, 
of  L#ynn,  expressed  warm  words  of  welcome  to  the  visitors : 
next  came  our  enterprising  townsman,  Francis  W.  Breed,  a 
member  of  the  World's  Fair  Commission  and  President  of 
the  New  England  Shoe  and  Leather  Association  ;  then  spoke 
Gen.  Augustus  P.  Martin,  of  Boston.  Hon.  Henry  Cabot 
Lodge,  of  Nahant,  a  member  of  Congress,  followed ;  then 
Isaac  H.  Bailey,  of  New  York.  Isaac  B.  Potter,  of  New 
York,  read  a  paper  on  roadways  and  kindred  topics.  The 
last  speaker  was  Charles  Eliot,  of  Cambridge,  son  of  the 
president  of  Harvard  College  ;  his  speech,  too,  had  refer- 
ence to  public  grounds  and  reservations.  Congressman  J. 
H.  Walker,  of  Worcester,  not  being  able  to  be  present,  for- 
warded a  letter  of  regret,  which  was  read  at  the  table.  The 
day  will  be  long  remembered  as  the  one  especially  on  which 
good  old  L3mn  was  honored  by  unstinted  encomiums  on  her 
thrift,  her  beautiful  scenery,  her  hospitality  ;  and  as  a  day  on 
which  she,  in  her  turn,  honored  her  visitors  by  a  rich  display 
of  her  resources  and  her  opportunities.  It  was  an  occasion 
that  enhanced  the  reputation  of  Lynn  wherever  she  was 
known  ;  and  which  rendered  her  name  familiar  in  many  a 
place  where  it  had  not  before  been  heard.  Undoubtedly  the 
main  purpose  of  the  gathering  was  to  magnify  and  extend 
the  fame  of  the  shoe  and  leather  trade  of  New  England,  and 
its  success  in  that  direction  can  hardly  be  questioned.  Inci- 
dentally it  did  much  other  good  work. 

James  E.  Bessom,  Aug.  30,  performed  the  surprising  feat 
of  walking  backwards  from  Lynn  to  Bass  Point,  Nahant,  and 
returning  in  two  hours  and  twenty-seven  minutes. 

Labor  Day,  Sept.  5,  was  celebrated  by  a  parade  and  ad- 


368  ANNALS    OF    LYNN  1892. 

dresses.     The   weather    proved   favorahle   and   the   working 
people  had  a  gala  time. 

Died,  Sept.  9,  of  Bright's  disease,  Abel  Bates,  aged  68. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War,  and  at  the  battle  of  Spott- 
sylvania  lost  his  right  arm.  He  returned  to  Lynn,  on  being 
mustered  out,  and  in  1865  was  elected  City  Messenger,  which 
office  he  held  till  the  time  of  his  death  —  twenty-seven  years. 
He  discharged  his  duties  faithfully,  and  was  unassuming  and 
courteous  to  all. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  Essex  County,  had  a  grand 
parade  in  Lynn,  Sept.  15. 

A  large  number  of  members  of  Post  5,  Grand  Army,  left 
Lynn,  Sept.  17,  for  Washington,  to  join  in  the  great  National 
Encampment  there. 

The  Board  of  Aldermen,  Sept.  20,  voted  to  accept  the 
bequest  of  $2500  made  by  William  Shute  for  an  electric 
fountain. 

Charles  S.  Ingalls  conveyed  the  ownership  of  Mount 
Spicketto  the  city,  Sept.  20. 

The  North  Shore  Traction  Company  was  incorporated  at 
Camden,  N.J.,  with  a  capital  of  $6,000,000,  Sept.  21.  The 
"  Lynn  and  Boston  "  and  "  Belt  Line  "  systems  of  street  rail- 
roads, together  with  other  lines  in  neighboring  places,  soon 
became  the  property  of  this  absorbing  company. 

The  Steamer  Watertown,  a  packet  plying  between  Lynn 
and  Boston,  was  burned,  off  Point  Shirley,  Sept.  28.  She 
was  a  wooden  propeller,  and  had  done  a  successful  business 
in  the  passenger  and  freight  line  during  the  season. 

The  Lynn  Naval  Company  of  fifty  members  was  mustered 
in  at  the  Armor}',  Franklin  street,  Oct.  i,  the  oath  of  allegi- 
ance to  Massachusetts  and  to  the  United  States  being  taken. 

"  Gipsey  "  Smith,  a  celebrated  English  evangelist,  com- 
menced a  series  of  revival  meetings  in  Lynn,  Oct.  16,  chiefly 
in  the  First  Methodist  Church.  He  claimed  to  be,  and  no 
doubt  was,  a  genuine  gipsey.  His  discourses  were  fluent, 
pointed,  and  attracted  many  hearers. 

Died,  at  his  residence  on  Mall  street,  Oct.  17,  John  T. 
Moulton,  aged  54.  His  death  was  very  sudden,  and  sent  a 
thrill  through  the  community  not  commonly  experienced,  for 
he  was  a  man  extensively  known  and  as  extensively  re- 
spected. He  was  one  of  our  largest  manufacturers  in  the 
morocco  line,  his  towering  manufactory  being  on  Marion 
street,  almost  on  the  site  where  his  ancestors  had  for  two 
centuries  or  more  carried  on  business  in  one  way  or  another 
connected  with  the  production  of  leather.      His  father  had 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892.  369 

for  many  3'ears  conducted  a  successful  business  on  the  same 
spot.  To  his  naturally  intellectual  quickness  was  added  a 
good  education,  for  he  graduated  from  our  High  School  in 
1855,  well  prepared  to  enter  college.  He  was  skilled  in  the 
use  of  the  pen  and  produced  many  pieces,  both  in  prose  and 
poetry,  well  worthy  of  preservation.  But  his  great,  and  as 
may  be  said,  chief  inclination,  was  to  historical  and  antiqua- 
rian studies.  There  he  seemed  to  feel  most  at  home,  and 
there  his  patience  in  research  and  reliability  in  statement 
were  conspicuous.  He  always  took  great  pains  to  make  no 
statement  that  he  did  not  feel  assured  was  the  exact  truth  — 
a  most  commendable  habit  in  any  writer  on  historical  topics, 
but  one  far  too  uncommon.  It  was  Mr.  Moulton,  who  in 
connection  with  Isaac  O.  Guild,  in  1888,  caused  to  be  erected 
in  our  Old  Burying  Ground  a  commemorative  stone  at  the 
grave  of  the  celebrated  fortune  teller,  Moll  Pitcher,  who 
died  in  1813  ;  a  simple  stone,  which  has  already  become 
a  shrine  at  which  many  a  young  knee  has  bent,  as  is 
shown  by  the  depression  of  the  sod.  A  strong  love  of  liter- 
ature, of  one  kind  and  another,  seems  to  have  run  in  the 
family  of  Mr.  Moulton,  a  love  that  cropped  out  now  in  prose 
and  then  in  poetry.  His  father  took  unbounded  pleasure  in 
poring  over  old  English  tomes,  as  well  as  pursuing  matters 
of  local  history,  though  he  wrote  little  or  nothing  for  publi- 
cation in  endurable  form.  Dr.  Joseph  Mansfield,  of  the  fam- 
ily on  the  maternal  side,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College  in 
1801,  and  who  the  year  before  took  the  prize  of  eighty  dol- 
lars for  a  poem  delivered  in  the  College  Chapel,  being  the 
best  metrical  production  offered  in  the  judgment  of  the 
faculty,  left  poems  enough  to  fill  a  volume,  which  it  is  yet 
hoped  may  one  day  appear  in  a  form  where  others  than  those 
of  the  family  may  enjoy  the  perusal.  Then  there  was  Solo- 
mon Moulton,  an  uncle  of  John  T.,  who  early  developed  more 
than  ordinary  poetic  genius  and  aptness  at  versification. 
Mr.  Lewis  spoke  highly  of  his  productions  ;  but  he  died  at 
the  age  of  19,  and  what  he  would  have  accomplished  had  his 
life  been  spared,  can  only  be  conjectured.  Judging,  how- 
ever, from  what  he  actually  did,  there  was  reason  for  great  ex- 
pectation. Mr.  Moulton  was  not  an  aspirant  for  public  office, 
nor  by  any  means  what  is  called  a  politician,  but  he  filled 
several  offices  of  trust  with  marked  fidelity.  During  one  or 
two  of  the  last  years  of  his  life  he  was  subjected  to  sore  trials 
by  the  labor  troubles  that  prevailed  over  most  of  the  indus- 
trial world.  There  was  a  protracted  "  strike"  at  his  factory, 
and    occasional    threats    of    violence,    but    he     exercised    a 

Sup.  4 


370  ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892. 

manly  forbearance  while  firmly  maintaining  his  rights,  and 
finally  succeeded  in  re-establishing  the  harmony  always  so 
dear  to  him. 

Oct.  21,  it  being  Columbus  Day  —  the  four  hundredth  an- 
niversary, according  to  new  style,  of  the  discovery  of  Amer- 
ica by  Christopher  Columbus  —  business  was  generally 
suspended  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States  and  the  Governor  of  the 
State.  It  was  generally  observed  here  as  a  holiday,  though 
there  was  no  very  marked  demonstration.  At  the  schools 
patriotic  addresses  were  made  and  patriotic  songs  sung. 
Veterans  of  the  Grand  Army  were  out  in  numbers,  in  some 
instances  giving  a  military  aspect  to  the  proceedings,  but 
on  the  whole,  it  being  an  anniversary  of  such  a  peculiar 
nature  and  so  new  in  its  apparent  requirements,  many  seemed 
at  a  loss  to  determine  what  proceedings  were  most  appropriate. 

Egan  &  Bolger's  shoe  factory  on  Eastern  avenue  was 
burned,  Oct.  25,  involving  a  loss  of  $19,500. 

A  large  convention  of  Associated  Charities  was  held  in 
Lynn,  Oct.  25.  Numbers  from  other  places  were  present, 
and  vigorous  discussions  were  held  touching  the  benefit,  pur- 
pose and  success  of  the  organization. 

The  registration  in  Lynn  closed  Oct.  29.  Of  the  12,498 
on  the  list,  10,790  voted  at  the  election  Nov.  8  —  a  remark- 
ably large  percentage. 

Capt.  William  Phillips  died  Nov.  16,  aged  93.  He  was 
born  on  the  border  district  formerly  known  as  the  Marble- 
head  farms,  came  to  Lynn  proper  in  early  life  and  was  long 
engaged  in  some  branch  of  the  shoe  trade.  His  title  of  cap- 
tain came  from  his  having  command  of  a  company  in  the  old 
Lynn  militia  regiment. 

Nov.  21,  there  was  presented  to  the  City  of  Lynn,  by 
John  E.  Hudson,  a  relic  of  singular  interest.  It  was  an  iron 
pot  of  about  the  capacity  of  one  quart,  stated  to  have  been 
the  first  piece  of  iron  casting  made  in  America.  The 
presentation  took  place  at  the  City  Hall  in  presence  of  a 
number  of  leading  citizens,  and  Mayor  Ha3'es  responded  in 
a  fitting  speech.  Two  or  three  others  made  brief  addresses, 
chiefly  of  an  historical  character.  The  inscription  on  the 
tablet  provided  for  the  relic  embodies  a  succinct  history, 
which  is  as  follows:  ^'' The  first  casting  made  in  America. 
Sangus  Iron  Works.,  16^2.  Presented  to  the  City  of  Lynn 
by  John  E.  Hudson,  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Uudsoti,  the 
owner  of  the  site  of  the  Iron  Works,  to  zvhom  the  first  cast- 
ing   jvas  given.      This  case  -presented  by  citizens  of  Lynn, 


ANNALS    OF    LYNN 1892.  37  I 

i8g2.'''  The  existence  of  this  casting  has  long  been  known, 
and  the  question  is  sometimes  asked  how  it  is  proved  to  have 
been  the  first  casting.  Probably  nothing  can  be  known  be- 
yond the  statement  of  Mr.  Lewis,  in  the  History  of  Lynn, 
under  date  1642. 

The  City  Council  vote,  Nov.  29,  $12,000  for  a  Marine 
Park;  $8,000  more  to  be  raised  by  subscription. 

St.  Mary's  Church  was  broken  into  on  Monday  evening, 
Dec.  26,  bv  thieves  who  stole  valuable  gold  and  silver  ves- 
sels. 

The  Lynn  and  Boston  Street  Railroad  commence  running 
their  cars  to  Boston  by  electricity,  Dec.  26. 

The  fine  house  of  worship  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Society,  on  Broad  street,  was  dedicated  on  the  evening  of 
Dec.  29.  There  was  a  large  attendance  and  the  exercises 
were  impressive,  the  sermon  being  by  Rev.  Alexander 
McKenzie,  D.D.  This  is  the  third  edifice  that  the  Society 
has  reared  since  its  organization  in  1850.  The  first  was 
entirel}^  consumed  by  fire  on  the  morning  of  Sept.  9,  1866  ; 
and  the  second,  which  was  erected  soon  after,  was  destroyed 
in  the  great  conflagration  of  Nov.  26,  1889.  The  first  was 
of  wood,  the  second  of  brick,  and  the  present  is  of  stone. 

The  total  loss  by  fire  in  Lynn,  during  1892,  was  $80,669.10. 


372  HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 


Industries  of  Lynn. 


The  leading  business  of  Lynn  continues  to  be,  as  it  has 
been  for  almost  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  the  Manitfacture 
of  Ladies'  Shoes.  And  though  the  manufacturers  lost  largely 
by  the  great  fire,  it  does  not  seem  that  there  has  been  much 
diminution  in  the  volume  of  trade,  though  it  is  carried  on  in 
some  instances  in  different  localities.  But  little  need  be  said 
here  in  addition  to  what  has  been  given  elsewhere  on  these 
pages.  There  are  179  factories,  with  an  aggregate  capital  of 
$4,550,000;  average  number  of  persons  employed,  12,000; 
value  of  annual  product,  if  21,300,000  ;  gross  profit,  $4,000,- 
000;  average  yearly  earnings  of  each  employe,  $465.  Of 
course  it  is  not  claimed  that  these  estimates  are  entirely  un- 
erring in  every  instance,  but  they  are  as  reliable  as  diligent 
inquiries  and  care  could  make  them. 

Next  in  historical  importance  is  the  Leather  Manufacture 
—  chiefly  that  which  comes  under  the  general  names  of  mo- 
rocco and  leather.  It  is  probable  that  at  no  former  period 
has  this  branch  of  industry  been  more  active  or  profitable. 
The  number  of  factories  may  be  stated  at  30  ;  capital  invest- 
ed, $950,000;  value  of  product,  $2,450,000;  stock  used, 
$1,687,000;   number  employed,  800. 

The  recently  established  Tho^nson-Houston  Electi'ic  Works., 
which  are  briefly  spoken  of  under  date  1883,  bid  fair  to  over- 
shadow all  the  other  industries  of  Lynn.  They  have  attained 
huge  proportions  in  a  marvelously  short  time,  the  business 
having  increased  in  five  years  from  about  $400,000  per  annum 
to  $12,000,000.  At  the  present  time,  May,  1890,  there  are 
employed  at  the  works  here  2,500  persons;  which  number, 
by  including  those  elsewhere  engaged  in  the  service  of  the 
Company,  would  be  raised  to  more  than  4,000.  The  amount 
of  capital,  including  invested  surplus,  is  about  $9,000,000. 
The  floor  space  now  occupied  by  the  Lynn  factories  is  281,586 
square  feet.  The  product  of  the  Company  is  electrical  ma- 
chiner}^  of  all  kinds,  and  is  of  course  for  the  greater  part 
disposed  of  in  the  United  States  ;  bvit  there  is  a  constant  and 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN.  373 

increasing  demand  for  their  apparatus  in  all  parts  of  the 
civilized  world. 

Of  the  various  other  industries  of  Lynn  so  much  has  been 
said  elsewhere  that  nothing  need  be  added  in  this  connection. 

So  large  a  portion  of  the  population  of  Lynn  consists  of 
working  people,  that  it  would  be  remarkable  if  there  were  not 
combinations  of  various  orders  formed  in  the  hope  of  bettering 
the  condition  of  those  who  are  dependent  for  a  livelihood  upon 
the  labor  of  their  hands.  We  have  had  a  large  share  of  what 
are  popularly  known  as  labor  troubles,  but  at  the  present  time 
we  seem  measurably,  though  by  no  means  entireh^  free  from 
difficulties  of  this  kind.  Such  lessons  however  have  been 
learned  that  the  more  considerate  on  both  sides  —  employers 
and  employed  —  see  that  forbearance  and  concession  are  very 
needful.  It  is  said  that  the  poor  are  always  discontented. 
But  are  the  rich  ever  contented?  The  whole  civilized  world 
is  now  agitated  by  labor  throes  ;  a  condition  that  perhaps  fol- 
lows from  the  increasing  intelligence  of  all  classes,  truer  con- 
ceptions of  individual  capabilities,  power,  and  natural  rights. 
The  result  of  this  unrest  will  surely  be  the  essential  modifi- 
cation of  some  of  the  unnatural  features  of  the  present  artifi- 
cial condition  of  society.  But  these  so  called  labor  troubles 
are  not  the  only  elements  that  are  working  important  changes 
in  the  texture  of  society.  Among  others  is  the  marked  change 
in  the  relative  position  of  woman.  We  now  find  the  fairer 
sex  in  about  all  the  professions  and  relations  that  a  few  years 
ago  were  considered  to  appertain  only  to  men.  And  it  is  a 
fact  of  rainbow  promise.  Especially  is  her  healthful  influence 
perceptible  in  the  ever  broadening  field  of  literature.  There, 
she  is  scattering  seeds  that  will  not  fail  to  produce  most  whole- 
some fruit.  But  may  we  not  indulge  the  hope  that  she  will 
not  soon  be  found  on  the  turbulent  borders  of  the  political 
arena,  panting  to  join  in  the  feverish  conflicts  there  ?  Perma- 
nent reforms  must  come,  but  need  not  be  expected  in  whirl- 
wind rush,  such  as  characterized  some  of  the  vain  attempts 
in  years  gone  by,  bul  by  such  peaceful  gradations  as  nature 
herself  exemplifies. 


374  HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 


Benevolent  Institutions,  etc. 

Lynn  has  a  full  share  of  organizations,  benev^olent,  social, 
literary  and  recreative.  But  few,  however,  can  even  be  named 
here ;  nor  is  it  necessary  that  they  should  be,  as  our  annual 
Directories  give  all  the  information  that  in  most  cases  would 
be  desired,  their  names  usuall}^  indicating  their  fields  of  labor. 
But  one  or  two  merit  special  notice. 

Lynn  Hospital.  Allusion  to  the  history  of  this  institution 
may  be  found  on  page  270.  At  the  close  of  1889,  the  finances 
appeared  in  a  satisfactory  condition.  The  receipts  for  the 
3^ear  from  incomes,  bequests,  and  donations,  were  $13,311.58, 
and  the  expenses  $10,749.29.  The  average  number  of  pa- 
tients for  the  year  was  21,  and  the  expense  for  each  patient 
for  board,  medicine,  and  attendance,  was  $511.87  per  annum. 
The  medical  cases  were  in  number  558,  and  the  surgical,  703  ; 
diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  and  skin,  136.  The  Hospital  fund, 
June,  1890,  has  reached  about  $85,000.  Of  that,  $26,000 
have  been  invested  in  land  and  buildings,  and  $2,500  in  fur- 
nishings ;  leaving  over  $56,000  invested  in  securities,  the 
income  of  which  is  devoted  to  running  expenses.  The  annual 
expense  of  maintenance  is  now  about  $10,000.  And  the 
income  from  investments  being  about  $3,000,  some  $7,000 
have  to  be  raised  each  year.  The  working  men,  in  all  de- 
partments of  trade,  have  year  by  year  liberally  contributed. 
And  indeed  all  classes  have  shown  their  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  the  institution  in  the  true  way,  by  pecuniary  aid. 
The  Oxford  Club,  until  its  rooms  were  destroyed  by  the  fire, 
raised  each  year,  from  $900,  the  amount  of  its  first  annual 
contribution,  to  $3,600,  the  result  of  its  last  entertainment. 
And  there  have  been  several  opportune  donations  from  sym- 
pathizing individuals,  as  well  as  bequests.  The  annual  church 
collections  have  each  year  for  several  years  amounted  to  $1 ,000. 
The  late  collections  in  response  to  the  renewed  appeals  of  the 
managers,  when  no  single  subscription  above  $10  was  asked, 
resulted  in  nearly  $6,000.  The  managers  regard  the  Hospital 
as  eminently  an  institution  for  the  people,  and  the  people,  on 


Lynn  Hospital.     1888. 

The  above  is  a  correct  representation  of  one  of  the  most  excellent  of  our  more  recently 
established  institutions  —  the  hospital.  The  buildings  are  not  costly,  but  are  picturesquely 
situated  on  historic  ground,  on   Boston   street,   between   Franklin  and   Washington  streets. 


HoMK  FOR  Aged  Women. 

This  is  another  of  our  praiseworthy  institutions.  The  building  is  at  the  west  end  of  the 
Common,  on  the  north  side,  and  was  originally,  in  1832,  built  for  and  occupied  by  the  unfor- 
tunate Nahant  Bank,  which  failed  in  1836.     An  ancient  dwelling  gave  place  to  the  structure. 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN.  375 

their  part,  cordially  do  what  they  can  for  its  support.  And 
all  of  us  can  give  it  our  prayers,  if  we  have  nothing  else  to 
give.  That  its  affairs  have  been  skilfully  and  prudently 
managed,  and  with  a  single  eye  to  the  good  of  all  concerned, 
there  is  no  doubt ;  and  by  increased  means  its  usefulness 
will  be  correspondingly  increased.  As  will  be  observed,  the 
means  are  still  quite  limited.  The  President  is  William  F. 
Morgan,  and  the  Treasurer,  David  H.  Sweetser. 

Lynn  Associated  Charities.  This  is  another  of  Lynn's 
most  commendable  organizations,  wiiich  has,  in  an  unosten- 
tatious way,  accomplished  much  good.  Especially  w^ould  its 
promptness  and  energy  in  supplying  the  immediate  wants  of 
sufferers  at  the  trying  time  of  the  great  tire,  entitle  it  to  grate- 
ful recognition.  It  was  organized  in  1885,  as  mentioned  under 
that  date,  and  has  continued  to  increase  in  usefulness  and 
public  favor.     Its  President  is  William  F.  Morgan. 

The  Home  for  Aged  Women  is  another  institution  that  has 
had  the  careful  attention  of  some  of  our  best  people,  and  the 
funds  that  have  been  secured  have  enabled  the  directors  to 
conduct  the  affairs  of  that  pleasant  abode  in  the  most  satis- 
factory manner.  The  establishment  of  a  home  for  aged  men 
has  for  a  long  time  been  under  consideration  in  many  benevo- 
lent minds  ;  and  it  is  ardently  hoped  that  the  time  is  not  far 
distant  when  so  desirable  an  object  will  be  accomplished. 
And  then  a  home  for  aged  couples  would  be  a  noble  addition 
to  our  beneficent  institutions.  Who  of  our  wealth}'  worthies 
will  spare  of  their  abundance  the  little  that  will  at  first  be 
needed  for  such  objects  as  these,  and  thus  have  assurance  that 
their  names  will  be  pronounced  with  blessings  by  future  gen- 
erations? 

The  ancient  institution  of  Free-Masonry  has  long  had  a  foot- 
hold in  Lynn.  Mount  Carmel  Lodge  was  constituted  in  1805, 
and  with  the  exception  of  the  singular  Anti-Masonic  episode 
that  exerted  its  influence  along  from  1830  to  1840,  has  held  a 
very  respectable  position.  There  are  now  four  bodies  here, 
with  an  aggregate  membership  of  about  650. 

The  Independent  Order  of   Odd  Fellows  have  some  twelve 


376 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 


lodges  in  Lynn,  with  a  correspondingly  large  membership, 
and  are  a  power  among  our  provident  organizations. 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  Lynn,  with  its  large  proportion  of 
working  people,  is  well  supplied  with  associations  designed 
to  provide  for  the  contingencies  of  sickness  or  otherwise  forced 
idleness  ;  indeed  for  mutual  aid  in  every  approved  way.  And 
all  such  things  show  a  prevalent  good-will  and  fraternal  feel- 
ing.    May  it  ever  continue  ! 


Autographs  of  Mayors. 

By  turning  to  pages  292,  293,  and  294  the  reader  will  find 
fac-similes  of  the  signatures  of  all  the  Mayors  of  Lynn,  down 
to  Mr.  Lovering  — 1882.  And  the  following  embraces  all 
the  succeeding  ones  down —  1893. 


1883  and   1834,  William  L.  Baikd. 


"I  ^ (^<z€ctco^^<^ 


1885,  John  R.  Baldwin. 


1886  and   1887,  George  D.  Hart. 


HISTORY    OF    LYNX. 


377 


-7. 

1888,  George  C.  Higgins 


CA^J-Qy-    J/T 


1889  and  1890,  Asa  T.  Newhall. 


CjP*^  -/T^.-i--zr7-c>-^^^^2rv-w      "Zy^Oi 


1891,  E.  Knowltox  Fogg. 


1S92   and   1893,  Eliih"  B.   Hayes. 


Closixg  Words. 

Considering  that  the  writer  has  ah'eady  passed  the  age  of 
four-score  vears,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  he  will  again  take 
up  the  thread  of  the  histor}^  of  Lynn,  his  native  place  :  though 
it  is  not  an  inspiring  belief  that  the  pleasant  employment  that 
for  so  many  years  has  occupied  hours  that,  to  say  the  least, 
might  have  been  devoted  to  some  worse  purpose,  is  to  be  for- 
ever abandoned.  In  this  whirligig  world,  however,  there  is  a 
possibility  that  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  our  dramatic 
friends  there  may  be  other  last  appearances.  He  claims  to 
have  a  pretty  good  knowledge  of  the  goings-on  in  Lynn  for 


378  HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 

the  last  seventy  years,  and  to  have  contributed  something  to 
elucidate  her  history  from  its  beginning.  With  his  own  hands 
he  has  set  the  types  for  these  historical  volumes  even  down 
to  the  page  now  under  the  reader's  eye.  But  this  is  the  place 
for  a  few  modest  words  of  retirement  rather  than  for  amplifi- 
cation. If,  however,  any  one  is  eccentric  enough  to  desire  a 
glimpse  at  the  chief  landmarks  in  the  life  of  one  so  little 
known  to  fame,  he  may  find  in  the  History  of  Essex  County, 
published  in  1888,  by  J.  W.  Lewis  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia, 
an  autobiographical  sketch.  And  for  that  history  he  prepared 
the  sketches  of  Lynn,  Lynnfield,  and  Swampscott.  Were  it 
not  doing  violence  to  his  native  modesty  he  would  also  add 
that  the  Centennial  Memorial  of  Lynn  and  the  account  of  the 
proceedings  on  her  250th  anniversary,  both  published  by 
order  of  the  City  Council,  were  prepared  by  him. 

Since  the  writer  undertook  the  recording  of  Lynn's  general 
history,  several  others  have  employed  their  pens  in  various 
departments.  David  N.  Johnson,  in  1880  published  a  volume 
entitled  "  Sketches  of  Lynn,  or  the  Changes  of  Fifty  Years," 
a  work  of  very  good  appearance,  and  containing  many  pleas- 
ant and  graphic  descriptions  and  faithful  biographical  deline- 
ations. It  was  deservedly  received  with  favor.  Then  there 
came,  also  in  1880,  "Lynn  Pictures,  by  James  Jeffrey,  with 
designs  and  engravings  by  the  Author,"  an  unpretentious  but 
companionable  little  volume.  "  Lynn  and  Surroundings,  by 
Clarence  W.  Hobbs,"  profusely  illustrated,  appeared  in  1888, 
and  was  well  received  by  a  large  circle  of  readers.  Many 
other  writers  have  appeared  here  from  time  to  time,  whose 
valuable  works  do  not  come  within  the  present  line  of   notice. 


As  the  main  body  of  this  work  has  been  carried  along  from  the  beginning  iu  the  form  of  Annals, 
the  Supplement  is  continued  in  the  same  style.     It  contains  the  events  of  eleven  years—  1882  to  i8g3. 

The  Annals  from  i62q  to  1865  are  found  in  History  of  Lynn,  Vol.  i.  The  present  volume 
takes  up  the  Annals  on  page  17,  with  the  year  1865,  and  on  page  q6  closes  with  1881.  Pages  32g  to  371 
record  the  Annals  of  1882  to  i8q3.  By  the  Indexes,  the  contents  of  each  page  may  be  easily  found. 
On  page  2q5  the  contents  of  all  the  pages  preceding  are  noted.  On  page  310  is  an  Index  to  the  Pictorial 
addenda  following.  On  page  37Q  at  the  close  of  this  Supplement  is  its  Index.  Of  course,  Vol.  I  has  an 
Index  of  its  own.  Editors. 


I  N  D  E  X  —  (/^  Suppletnenl. ) 


Aged  Couples,  Home  for,  351. 

Aged  Men,  Home  for,  348. 

Aged  Women,  Home  for,  333,  375. 

Aijpropriations,  etc.,  352. 

Arbor  Day,  3(i4. 

Armory,  Franklin  St.,  dedicated,  339. 

Arthm-,  President,  burial  of,  336. 

Associated    Charities,    334,  365,    370, 

372,  375. 
Australian  system  of  voting,  344. 
Autographs  of  Mayors,  376,  377. 

Bachiler,  Rev.  Stephen,  337. 
Backward  walking,  367. 
Baird,  Wm.  L.,  mayor  (autograph)  376. 
Baldwin,  John  R.,  mayor  (autograph), 

376. 
Balloon  ascension,  362. 
Banks,  333,  345,  352,  353. 
Banquet,  French,  361. 
Banquet,  Lynn  printers,  347. 
Banquet,  J.  R.  Newhall,  347. 
Barnum's  Great  Show,  330. 
Barry,  Darius,  349. 
Bartol  &  Co.,  G.  F.,  fire,  349. 
Batchelder,  John,  334. 
Bates,  Abel,  368. 
Beach  Street,  changed,  350. 
Beckwith,  Cora,  366. 
Beebe  &  Sons,  Lucius,  fire,  334. 
Belt  Line  Street  R.R.,  339,  348. 
Benevolent  institutions,  374. 
Bennett,  Josiah  C,  donation,  335. 
Berry,  John  W.,  appointed  judge,  341. 
Bessom,  James  E.,  367. 
Biographical  and  Personal  Notices. 
Arthur,  Chester    A.,   ex-President, 
burial  of,  336. 

Bachiler,  Rev.  Stephen,  337. 

Bailey,  Isaac  C,  367. 

Barry,  Darius,  349. 

Batchelder,  John,  334. 

Bates,  Abel,  368. 

Beckwith,  Cora,  366. 

Bennett,  Josiah  C,  donation,  335. 

Bessom,  James  E.,  367. 

Bishop,  W.  Irving,  mind  reader,  336. 

Breed,  Aza  A.,  362. 

Breed,  Francis  W.,  366. 


Biog.  and  Personal  Notices.  —  Cont. 
Breed,  Henry  A.,  336. 
Breed,  Rev.  Joseph  Blaney,  351. 
Breed,  Theophilus  N.,  332,  361. 
Breed,  Thomas  A.,  336. 
Bubier,  S.  M.,  mayor,  portrait,  124. 
Buffum,  James  N.,  337. 

Chamberlain,  Gen.  Joshua  L.,  342. 
Chase,  George  Hussey,  339. 
Chase,  Henry  L.,  363,  364. 
Cleveland,  President,  veto,  336. 
Coffin,  Mrs.  C.  A.,  358. 
Crawford,  George  A,,  335. 

Davis,  Edward  S.,  335. 
Devens,  Gen.,  339. 

Eliot,  President,  366. 
Eliot,  Charles,  367. 

Fogg,  E.  Knowlton,  mayor,  354. 

(autograph)  377. 
Fry,  Charles  C,  362. 

Gardiner,  Stephen  H.,  355. 
Grant,   U.S.,   President,  death  of, 

334. 
Graves,  Zachariah,  347. 
Greenhalge,  Hon.  F.  T.,  357. 
Guild,  Isaac  O.,  339. 

Hall,  Harmon,  357. 
Harmon,  Rollin  E.,  341. 
Harrison,  Mrs.  President,  358. 
Hart,  Geo.  D.,  mayor,  337. 

(autograph),  376. 
Hayes,  Elihu  B.,  mayor,  344,  .362. 

(avitograph),  377. 
Hood,  Jacob,  335. 
Howard,  Elijah  D.,  363. 
Hudson,  John  E.,  370. 
Hutchinson,  John  W.,  354. 

Ingalls,  Charles  S.,  368. 

Johnson,  Wm.  F.,  340. 
•Josselyn,  Lewis,  341. 

Kimball,  Josiah  F.,  341. 

Lakeman,  Timothy,  358. 
Lovering,  H.  B.,  mayor,  330. 
Lummus,  Dr.  John,  337. 


38o 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN, 


Biog.  and  Personal  Notices. —  Cont. 
Martin,  Gen.  Augustns  P.,  367. 
McKenzie,  Rev.  Alexander,  371. 
Mitchell,  Maria,  343,  366. 
Mitchell,  William,  366. 
Mitchell,  William  Foster,  365. 
Monds,  Maria,  333. 
Moody,  Abraham  C,  366. 
Morgan,  Wm.  F.,  375(2). 
Mott,  Henry  E.,  337. 
Moulton,  John  T.,  339,  •iHS. 
Moulton,  Solomon,  369. 

Nazro,  F.  G.,  367. 

Newhall,  Asa  T.,  mayor,  345. 

(autograph),  377. 
Newhall,  Rev.  Fales  H.,  332. 
Newhall,  James  R.,  344,  347. 
Newhall,  James  Warren,  362,  364. 

Patch,  Geo.  H.,  332. 

Peach,  Gen.,  343. 

Phillips,  Capt.  Wm.,  370. 

Pinkham,  Lydia  E.,  332. 

Pitcher,  Moll,  339. 

Potter,  Isaac  B.,  367. 

Pullman,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  M.,  334. 

Ramsdell,  Oliver,  347. 
Rhodes,  Mrs.  Lydia,  351. 
Rohrer,  Albert  L.,  355. 

Sargent,  James  M.,  333. 
Shackford,  Rev.  C.  C,  361. 
Shepherd,  Allen  G.,  337. 
Simmons,  W.  A.,  333. 
Skinner,  John  W.,  332. 
Smith,  C.  Frederick,  362. 
Smith,  Gipsey,  368. 
Smith,  Myron,  348. 
Stewart,  Rev.  S.  B.,  351. 
Stone,  Capt.  M.V.B.,  335. 
Strain,  Monsignor,  338,  356. 
Sweetser,  Benjamin,  350. 
Sweetser,  David  H.,  375. 
Swift,  Gen.  John  L.,  365. 

Tanner,  James  M.,  329. 
Thompson,  Rev.  Edwin,  339. 
Thomson,  Elihu,  331. 
Tirrell,  Jr.,  Minot,  334. 
Tolman,  John  B.,  333,  357. 
Tracy,  Cyrus  M.,  358,  364. 
Tufts,  Col.  Gardiner,  332,  360. 
Tufts,  David,  360 
Tufts,  Richard,  360. 

Van  Biuen,  Rev.  James  H.,  348. 
Van  Depoele,  Charles  J.,  364. 

Walden,  Edwin,  mayor,  342. 
Walker,  Myron  P.,  348. 


Biog.  and  Personal  Notices.  —  Cont. 

Ward,  Benjamin  A.,  335. 
Weston,  Edward  K.,  355. 
Wooldredge,  John,  359. 
Wright,  Carroll  D.,  334. 

Birch  pond,  347. 

Bishop,  W.  Irving,  mind  reader,  336. 

Blake  &  Co.,  C.  E.,  fire,  355. 

Board  of  Trade,  355,  363,  366. 

Bog  Meadow,  355. 

Boot  and  Shoe  Club,  Boston,  366. 

Boscobel  hotel,  332,  334. 

Boys'  Club,  357. 

Breed,    Allen,    362.       Aza   A.,    362. 

Daniel  N.,  351.     F.  W.,  366,  367. 

Henry  A.,  336.     Joseph  Blaney, 

351.     Theophilus    N.,    332,    361. 

Thomas  A.,  336. 
Breed's  pond,  333,  346,  347. 
Brewer,  Nathaniel,  fire,  355. 
Bvrffum,  James  N.,  337. 
Buildings,  new,  348.  357. 
Burglary,  341. 

Camera  Club,  338,  347. 

Cedar  pond,  347. 

Cemetery,  Pine  Grove,  351. 

Centennial,  First  M.E.  church,  355. 

Central  Cong'l  Society,  364,  371. 

Chamberlain,  Gen.,  342. 

Charter,  City,  352. 

Chase,  George  Hussey,  339. 

Chase,  Henry  L.,  363,  364. 

Cheap  railroad  trains,  330. 

Chimes,  St.  Stephen's,  335. 

Choir  Festival,  357. 

Choirs,  musical,  332. 

Churches,  332,  333(2),  334(4),  335  (2), 

336(3),    338(2),    340,    343,    347, 

348,  355,  356,  360,  363,  364,  365, 

368,  371  (2). 
City  Messenger,  368. 
Clark,  Charles  G.,  fire,  329. 
Cleveland.  President,  veto,  336. 
Cliftondale,  341. 
Closing  words,  377. 
Club,  Boys',  357. 
Coflin,  Mrs.  C.  A.,  358. 
Coliseum,  Grand  Army.  329. 
Columbus  Day,  370. 
Comet  of  '82,  331. 
Confederate  Veterans'  visit  to  Lynn, 

337. 
Congress  of  U.S.,  330. 
Contributions  for  sufferers,  335,  34(5. 
Crawford,  George  A.,  335. 
Cyclone,  349. 

Daily  i>apers,  price  of  raised,  335. 
Davis,  Edward  S.,  335. 


HISTORY    OF    LYNX. 


381 


Deaths  accidental,  singular  or  violent, 

329,  330,  333,  349,  350. 
Dedications,  329,  334,  335,  339,  347, 

371. 
Deveus,  Gen.,  339. 
Dredging  of  Lynn  Harbor,  333. 
Droughts,  330. 

Electric  cars,  371. 
Electric  companies,  363. 
Electric  foimtain,  .368. 
Electric  lights  introduced,  329. 
Electric  works,  331,  345. 
Eliot,  President,  366. 
Essex  County,  History  of,  340. 
Essex  Flora,  359. 
Expenditiu'es,  352. 
Explosions,  347,  351. 
Explosions,  steam,  329,  330. 

Fairs.  Grand  Army,  332,  336.  La- 
dies', for  hospital,  333.  Lasters', 
333. 

Fire,  the  great,  344. 

Fires,  329  (2),  330(2),  331,  333,  334  (3), 
337,  338  (2),  340,  341,  .344,  349. 
355(2),  356,  3.57(2),  361,  363,364, 
365,  3(i8,  370. 

Fire  loss,  '90,  '91,  .352,  361. 

Flags  on  school  houses,  343. 

Flax  pond,  347. 

Floating  bridge  pond,  347. 

Fogg,  E.  Knowlton,  mayor,  354,  377. 

Free  Masonry,  375. 

French  Catholic  church,  336,  338. 

French  banquet,  361. 

Fry,  Chas.  C,  362. 

Gardiner,  Stephen  H.,  355. 

Gas  and  electric  light  station,  351. 

Gilead,  Mt.,  350. 

Gipsey  Smith,  368. 

Glen  Lewis  consecrated,  330. 

Glen  Lewis  pond,  347. 

Goldfish  pond,  347. 

G.A.E.,  329,  332,   335.  336,  337,  349 

and  368. 
Grant,   President,  death  of,   noticed, 

334. 
Grave,  Indian,  350. 
Graves,  Zachariah,  347. 
Green  &  Co.,  Thomas,  fire,  338. 
Greenhalge,  Hon.  F.  T.,  357. 
Guild,  Isaac  O.,  .339,  369. 

Hall,  Hon.  Harmon,  357. 
Harmon,  Rollin  E.,  ,341. 
Harrison,  Mrs.  President,  358. 
Hart,  Geo.  D.,  mayor,  337,  (autograph) 
376. 


Hayes,   Elihu    B.,   mayor,    344,    362, 

(autograph),  377. 
Haverhill,  333. 

Henn,  Lieut.,  of  yacht  Galatea,  .336. 
Higgins,  Geo.  C,  mayor  (autograph), 

376. 
Highland  Circuit  Street  R.R.,  339. 
High  School,  351,  366. 
Hobbs,  Clarence  W.,  378. 
Holder's  pond,  347. 
Home  for  Aged  Couples,  351. 
Home  for  Aged  Men,  348. 
Home  for  Aged  Women,  333,  375. 
Home  for  Inebriates,  333. 
Hood,  .Jacob,  335. 
Horses  biu-ned,  338. 
Hospital,  332,  333,  335,  373,  374. 
Hospital  fund,  374. 
Houghton,  Godfrey  &  Dean's  fire,  329. 
Houghton  Horticultm-al  Society,  359. 
Howard,  Elijah  D.,  363. 
Hudson,  .John  E.,  370. 
Hutchinson,  John  W.,  355. 

Ice,  348,  357. 

Incarnation,  Chvu'ch  of,  334,  335. 
Independence  Day,  348,  357. 
Indian  grave,  3.50. 
Indian  skeleton,  348. 
Industries  of  Lynn,  372. 
Inebriates'  home,  333. 
Ingalls,  Chas.  S.,  368. 

.Jeffrey,  .James,  378. 
•Jewish  chmx-h,  365. 
Johnson,  Caleb,  340.     David  X.,  .350. 

Francis,  333.     AVilliam  F.,  340. 
Johnstown  flood,  Lynn's  contribution, 

342. 
Josselyn,  Lewis,  341. 
Jumbo,  elephant,  330. 

Kettle,  Iron,  370. 
Kimball,  Josiah  F.,  341. 
Knights  of  Pythias,  368. 

Labor  day,  338,  350,  358,  367. 

Labor  troubles,  373. 

Ladies'  shoes,  manufacture  of,  372. 

La  grippe,  344. 

Lakeman,  Timothy,  3.58. 

Lamper's  wharf,  fire,  338. 

Lasters'  fair,  333. 

Lawyers,  1890,  353. 

Leather  manufacture,  372. 

Lennox,  P.,  fire,  340. 

Lewis  &  Co..  J.  W.,  340. 

Light  Infantry  &  Wooldredge  Cadets 

visit  AYashington,  341. 
Lighting,  progress  of,  354. 
Lightning,  333,  343,  348. 


382 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 


Lily  pond,  347. 

Lincoln,  President,  339. 

Lodge,  Hon.  Henry  Cabot,  3(56. 

Lord's  day,  356. 

Loretz  steam  pumping  engine,  352. 

Loss  by  fire,  371. 

Lovering,  Congressman,  330. 

Lummus,  Dr.  .John,  337. 

Lynn  Bay  State,  341. 

Lynn  it  Boston  Street  R.R.,  371. 

Lynn  and  Surroundings,  Hobbs,  378. 

Lynnfield,  335. 

Lynnhurst,  361. 

Lynn  hospital,  332,  333,  335,  373,  374. 

Lynn  Pictures,  Jeffrey's  book,  378. 

Lynn  AVoods,  346. 

Mad  dog,  365. 

Mansfield,  Dr.  Joseph,  369. 

Manufacturers  bank,  355. 

Marblehead  Street  R.R.,  333. 

Marine  park,  370. 

Marshall,  J.  O.,  fire,  365. 

May  breakfast,  365. 

Mayflower  and  (lalatea  race,  335. 

Mayors  of  Massachusetts  visit  Lynn, 

337. 
Mechanics  exchange,  335. 
Memorial  day  orators,  329,  332,  333, 

334,  335,  337,  339,  340,  348,  357, 

365. 
Methodist  church.  First,  333,  336,  355, 

368. 
Methodist  Conference,  333. 
Military  parade,  343. 
Military  school  drill,  356. 
Mind  reading.  336. 
Missionary,  City,  365. 
Mitchell,  Prof.  Maria,  343,  366. 
Mitchell,  William,  366. 
Mitchell,  William  Foster,  365. 
Monds,  Maria,  333. 
Moody,  Abraham  C,  366. 
Morgan,  William  F.,  375  (2). 
Morocco  manufacture,  372. 
Mott,  Henry  E.,  337. 
Moulton,  John  T.,  339,  368,  369. 
Moulton,  Solomon,  369. 
Mt.  Spicket,  368. 

Nahant,  335. 

jSTantucket,  343. 

Natural  phenomena,  329  (2),  330,  331, 

333  (2),  335,  343,  348  (2),  349,  351, 

360,  363. 
Naval  Battalion,  Lynn,  368. 
New  .Terusalem  (Swedenborgian)  ch., 

336. 
Newhall,  Asa  T.,  mayor,  (autograph), 

345,   377.      Rev.    Fales  H.,  332. 


Newhall,  James  R.,  344.  James  R* 
banquet,  347.  James  Warren,  362' 
364.  Lucian,  fire,  334.  Nathaniel, 
338. 

Newspapers,  335,  .341  (2),  ,345,  358. 

North  Shore  Traction  Co.,  368. 

Odd  Fellows, -343,  376. 

Odd  J^ellows,West  Lynn,  357,  364. 

Organizations,    333,    343,    357,    3.50, 

364  (2),  368,  373,  375,  376. 
Oxford  Club,  364,  373. 

Parades,  .343,  .349. 

Parker,  Theodore,  361. 

Park,  Lynn  Forest,  347. 

Patch,  Geo.  H.,  332. 

Peabody,  Charles  E.,  fire,  357. 

Peabody  Street  Railway,  332. 

Peach,  Gen.,  343. 

Pevear  block,  fire,  333,  356. 

Phenomena,  celestial,  .331. 

Phillips,  Capt.  Wm.,  370. 

Physicians,  353. 

Pine  Grove  Cemetery.  351. 

Pinkham,  Lydia  E.,  332. 

Pitcher,  Moll,  339,  369. 

Pitts,  Philip,  shot  by  burglar,  341. 

Police  station,  new,  350. 

Ponds,  names  of  and  areas,  347. 

Population,  352. 

Post  5,  Grand  Army  visit  Richmond, 

337. 
Powderly,  National  Master  Workman, 

351. 
Prelate,  Domestic,  356. 
Primitive  Methodist,  347. 
Printers'  banquet,  Ijynn,  347. 
Prize  fight,  death,  356. 
Pullman,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  M.,  334. 
Pumping  station,  352. 

Railways,  street,  332,  333,  335,  339(2), 

.343,  .348,  368,  371  (2). 
Ramsdell,  Oliver,  347. 
Rattlesnake,  349. 
Record,  Lynn,  358. 
Registration,  370. 
Religious  societies,  1890,  3-53. 
Revival  meetings,  336. 
Rhodes,  Mrs.  Lydia,  351. 
Rhodes  Memorial  Chapel,  351. 
Robbery,  335,  362. 
Rowing  regatta,  335. 
Russell,  Governor,  366. 

Safe   Deposit   and  Trust  companies, 

353. 
Salvation  Army,  333. 
Sargent,  James  M.,  333. 
Saugus,  332,  337. 


HISTORY    OF    LYNN. 


383 


Saugus  Branch  R.R.,  363. 

Saugus  iron  works,  870. 

Saugus  Mutual  Fire  Ins.  Co..  o.5T. 

Scandinavian  churcli,  360. 

Sliaclvford,  Rev.  C.  C.,361. 

Sliepherd,  Allen  G.,  337. 

Shoe  and  Leather  Association,  335. 

Shoe  business,  372. 

Shute,  William,  368. 

Simmons,  W.  A.,  333. 

Sketches  of  Lynn,  Johnson's,  378. 

Skeleton,  Indian,  348. 

Skinner,  John  W.,  332. 

Sluice  pond,  347. 

Small,  Sam,  revivalist,  336. 

Smith,  C.  Frederick,  362. 

Smith,  Myron,  348. 

Snow  storms,  violent,  320. 

Soldiers'  monument,  Swampscott,  332. 

Steam  boiler  explosions,  329. 

Steam  Heating  Co.,  Citizens,  330. 

Steamboat  burned,  368. 

Stewart,   Rev.  Samuel  B.,  reception, 

35L 
Stone,  Capt.  M.  V.  B.,  335. 
Storm,  severe,  363. 
St.  Joseph's  church  consecrated,  334. 
St.  Luke's  M.E.  church,  340,  363. 
St.  Mary's  R.  Catholic,  338,  371. 
St.  Patrick's  day,  364. 
St.  Stephen's  church,  335,  348,  356. 
Strain,  Monsignor,  338,  356. 
Strike,  morocco  workers',  349,  356. 
Swampscott,  330,  331,  332,  335. 
Swedenborgian  chui'ch,  336. 
Sweetser  building,  fire,  331. 
Sweetser,  David  IL,  375. 
Sweetser,  Benjamin,  killed.  350. 
Swett,  Rev.  Mr.,  361. 
Swift,  Gen.  John  L.,365. 
Swimming  feat,  366. 

Tanner,  James  M.,  329. 
Tarbox,  James  E.,  349. 
Taxation,  Rate  of,  352. 
Tebbetts,  C.  B.,  fire,  334. 
Temperature,  curiosities  of,  329. 
Theatre,  Lynn,  opened,  339. 


Thieves,  St.  Mary's  church,  371. 
Thompson,  Rev.  Edwin,  339. 
Thomson,  Elihu,  331. 
Thomson-Houston  electric  works,  372 
Thunder  storm,  335. 
Tides,  high,  348,  351. 
Tirrell,  Jr.,  Minot,  334. 
Tolman,  John  B.,  333,  357. 
Tracy,  Cyrus  M.,  358,  364. 
Trinity  chm-ch,  Tower  Hill,  334. 
Tufts,  Daniel,  360. 
Tufts,  Col.  Gardiner,  332,  360. 
Tufts,  Richard,  360. 

Universalist,  First,  333,  334. 
Universalist  general  convention,  343. 
Universalist  semi-centennial,  332. 

Valuation,  352. 

Van  Bureu,  Rev.  James  H.,  reception, 

348. 
VanDepoele,  Charles  J.,  364. 
Veto  of  bill  for  public  building,  336. 
Voters,  352. 

Voting,  Australian  system  of,  344. 
Voting  precincts  established,  333. 

AValden,  Edwin,  mayor,  342. 

Walden  pond.  347. 

Walker,  Myron  P.,  348. 

Walnut  &  Washington  street  cars,  343. 

Ward,  Benjamin  A. ,  335. 

Water,  overflow  of,  335. 

AVatertown,  steamboat,  368. 

Weather,  360. 

AVeston,  Edward  K.,  355. 

Whale,  dead,  348. 

Whiting  grammer  school,  363. 

Woman's  influence,  373. 

Woods,  Lynn,  347,  367. 

Wooldredge,  John,  359. 

Wright,  Carroll  D.,  334. 

Yacht  race,  Mayflower  and  (ialatea, 

335. 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 

333. 


1629  1893 

LYNN 

HER    COMPLETE    HISTORY. 


In  answer  to  inquiries  concerning  the  History  of  Lynn,  and 
the  other  works  of  Hon.  James  R.  Newhall,  the  undersigned 
announce  that 

The  volume  by  Alonzo  Lewis  and  James  R.  Newhall,  con- 
taining a  full  HISTORY  OF  LYNN,  from  the  first  settlement, 
in  1629,  to  the  close  of  1864,  8vo.,  620  pages,  price  $2.25;  and 
the  volume  entitled  "  LIN,  or  Notable  People  and  Notable 
Things  in  the  Early  History  of  Lynn,  the  Third  Plantation 
OF  Massachusetts  Colony," — the  same  that  in  earlier  editions  bore 
the  title  of  "  LIN,  or  Jewels  of  the  Third  Plantation,"  Svo., 
500  pages,  price  $1.50;  are  now  in  print,  and  can  be  promptly 
received  by  application  at  the  places  named. 

The  volume  bringing  the  History  down  from  1864  to  1890 
has  been  out  of  print,  but  a  new  edition  is  now  issued,  and  this 
will  bring  the  History  to  1893.     350  to  400  pages,  8vo.,  price  $1.75. 

The  above  give  the  continuous  History  of  Lynn  in  its  various 
departments,  and  give  the  means  to  all  interested  to  become  acquaint- 
ed with  its  History,  from   1629  to  1893. 


These,  with  two  new  books,  afford  an  excellent  opportunity  to  secure  as 
a  whole  the  complete  works  of  Hon.  James  R.  Newhall,  the  Historian  of 
Lynn.  These  books  are  unique  in  their  character,  being  compiled  from 
the  personal  observations  of  the  author,  and  contain  a  connected  History 
of  our  City,  including  its  traditions  and  legends. 

They  are  noteworthy  as  a  reflex  of  the  times  from  the  standpoint  of 
a  long  life,  are  useful  as  ready  reference  and  for  genealogical  and  other  tables 
of  information,  while  the  quaintness  of  the  author's  style,  combined  with 
the  spice  of  personal  experience,  make  them  an  interesting  contribution 
to  literature,  and  a  valuable  addition  to  a  library. 

Israel  Augustus  Newhall. 
Howard  Mudge  Newhall. 


KE^yy^  BOOKS 


The  following-named  works  have  recently  been  issued.  The  new  books 
are  the  last  works  of  Hon.  James  R.  Newhall's  life,  and  were  in  prep- 
aration for  publication  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  October  24,  1893. 

In  order  to  supply  the  continual  demand  for  the  older  works,  new 
editions  of  these  are  also  issued. 

YE   GREAT    AND    GENERAL    COURTE    IN    COLLONIE   TiMES. 

Legislative  Dawn.     Harsh  and  Humorous  Doings. 
This  volume  is  somewhat  in  the  style  of  "LIN,"  but  takes  a  broader 
range  as  to  personal  topics.     New.     500  pages.     Price  $1.75. 

HISTORY  OF  LYNN.    Vol.  I. 

Fourth  edition,  including  the  original  Alonzo  Lewis  History,  1629  to 
1864.     Illustrated.     620  pages.     Price,  Cloth,  $2.25. 

HISTORY  OF  LYNN.    Vol,  H. 

Completed  to  1893.  Illustrated.  About  400  pages.  Price,  Cloth,  $1.75. 
Former  editions  having  been  completed  as  far  as  1883-1890  only. 

LIN;  or^  Jewels  of  the  Third  Plantation. 

Legendary  and  romantic  side  of  our  history,  possessing  a  strong  fas- 
cination to  any  reader,  wherever  he  may  open  it.  Third  edition.  500  pages. 
Price,   Cloth,   $1.50. 

Of  this  book  George  William  Curtis  said,  "It  more  nearly  resem- 
bles in  its  style  the  Sketch  Book  of  Washington  Irving  than  any  book 
ever  published." 

THE  LEGACY  OF  AN  OCTOGENARIAN. 

This  volume  contains  :  — 

I.     Recollections,  Observations  and  Experiences  of  the  Author,  dur- 
ing the  last  seventy-five  years  of  his  life. 

II.     Notes  of  Travel  in  Europe  and  the  East. 
III.     Biographical  Notices. 

In  this  volume  appear  numerous  Biographical  Sketches,  Reminiscen- 
ces and  Notes  of  Personal  Experience;  Descriptions  of  Persons  and  Things 
seen  in  Foreign  Lands,  with  incidental  observations.  New.  448  pages. 
Price,  Cloth,  $1.75. 

These  volumes  give  a  complete  history  of  Lynn,  from  its  first  settle- 
ment to  1893,  both  legendary  and  real,  and  contain  much  matter  of  interest 
in  the  legends  and  early  lore  of  New  England,  in  which  the  life  of  the 
Author  was  passed. 

The  books  have  full  indexes,  which  add  greatly  to  their  value. 

Price  of  the  Five  Volumes,  $8.00. 

Volumes  can  be  obtained  by  subscribing  to  Israel  Augustus  New- 
hall,  112  Market  Street;  Howard  Mudge  Newhall,  Central  Square; 
Miss  J.  M.  Buhier,  92  Johnson  Street,  or  the  publi.shers,  The  Nichols 
Press,   113  Market  Street,  Lynn. 


